The Secret Life of Jackie Burkhart
by reviewgirl911
Summary: Hyde thinks Jackie is just a spoiled princess. When some people from Jackie's past show up in Point Place, will Hyde see the real Jackie and fall for her? Will he be able to help her conquer her demons? Read to find out.
1. Someone Named Blue

**Okay, so this is my first That '70s Show fan fiction. I haven't seen all of the episodes, so I'm sorry for any mistakes. Here's a little explanation so that this story makes sense to you. In this story, Jackie is the same age as the rest of the gang. Kelso and Jackie did go out but never had sex. They broke up, but Jackie is now part of the gang in her own right. Donna and Eric are together, and she and Kelso never ran off to California. Jackie likes Hyde, but he doesn't know. Hyde still thinks she's a spoiled brat. I don't own this show at all; if I did, Jackie and Hyde would be together and we'd know what country Fez is from. **

Jackie sat in the Forman's basement, watching Gilligan's Island with the gang. Or, at least it looked like she was watching. Everyone was too involved in their conversations to notice how Jackie's eyes merely glazed over the television and were staring off in the distance. Well, except for Hyde. He did notice this, and it scared him. It was a look he recognized from his own reflection. Hyde wondered what a look like that was doing on Jackie's face. Surely, the spoiled cheerleader didn't have anything bad to think about. Even after reassuring himself of this, Hyde was still worried. Jackie was being far too quiet.

"Hey, Midget, cat got your tongue?" he sneered. Jackie glared at him with her mismatched eyes but said nothing. She was deep in thought, and even Steven Hyde couldn't distract her from that. Hyde looked at her in shock. Where was the fight, he wondered to himself. Now he knew that something was really off with Jackie.

Jackie noticed Hyde's shock and smirked. She had better things to do than fight with him, like trying to ignore the pangs in her stomach. It was almost hysterical how little the gang really knew about her. Jackie's life before them was a total secret, and she intended to keep it that way.

Meanwhile, Kitty was making her famous pot roast when the phone started to ring. "Well, I wonder who that could be," she said to herself while walking towards the phone. "Hello, this the Forman residence. May I please ask who's calling?" Kitty answered sweetly.

"Um, this is Lucy. I'm looking for Blue, please?" the person on the other line replied politely. She guessed it was a girl by the high-pitched voice.

"Hold on a minute, please," Kitty replied briskly. She put the phone down and walked down the stairs to the basement. She figured it was a girl calling for one of her boys. They probably gave her a fake name. "Boys!" Kitty shouted, causing everyone in the basement to turn around. "Which one of you gave some poor girl a fake name?"

The four guys looked at each other in confusion. Finally, Hyde spoke up, "Mrs. Forman, Kelso and Fez are so desperate that they would probably give the girl their real names."

"That's not true!" Kelso shouted furiously. "I wouldn't even give her a name in the first place!" Everyone just rolled their eyes at how stupid Kelso was.

"And Fez would never treat a girl that badly, Ms. Kitty," Fez added innocently.

"Donna's got Eric on a leash, so we know it definitely wasn't him," Hyde joked. Eric glared at his surrogate brother.

"She does not!" Eric started to protest but stopped when Donna smacked him. "Okay, she does," he admitted sheepishly. His girlfriend smiled smugly.

"And I don't give girls phone numbers, much less names." Hyde responded. "It's probably just a wrong number."

A light bulb went off in Jackie's head. "Mrs. Forman, who did the person ask for?" she asked the kind older woman sweetly.

"Someone named Blue," Kitty responded patiently. She knew Jackie had an idea about who was calling.

Without a word, Jackie headed upstairs. She knew it was her best friend, Lucy. Lucy and Jackie had been friends since they were five years old, practically inseparable. Being the same age and next door neighbors could do that to you. Lucy's family was just as messed up as Jackie's, so the girls relied on each other for advice and guidance. She had moved away a year ago, and Jackie had missed her immensely. The girls still kept in touch through long letters and the occasional phone call, but it wasn't enough. Jackie knew Lucy was running away from the same problem she was, and neither girl was succeeding. Lucy was one of the few people who knew the real her. The nickname Blue had been her idea.

The gang followed Jackie upstairs, curious to see who would call Jackie at the Forman's and by a different name. Surely none of her cheerleading minions.

Jackie picked up the phone. "Luce?" she asked carefully.

"Blue! Oh my God! It's so good to hear a sane voice!" Jackie smiled at the sound of her best friend's soothing, energetic voice. It reminded her of better times, of all-nighters where they would just talk about anything and everything for hours.

Jackie noticed everyone else was listening in on her conversation, but she didn't care. She was dying to talk to Lucy. "Nice to hear from you too. I got your last letter. Are you still there?"

Lucy just laughed, and Jackie automatically knew her friend was still wandering. "No, Arizona got boring. I'm sick of places with sun and no fall weather. I got your letter. How are you?"

"How does sunshine get boring?" Jackie asked with a laugh. "And I'm fine, I guess. Where are you right now?"

Lucy hesitated for a moment before answering, "Point Place, Wisconsin." She rubbed her ears after hearing Jackie's shriek. "Gosh, save my eardrums, please."

Everyone in the room noticed how Jackie's eyes light up with child-like glee. None of them could ever recall seeing her this happy. "Seriously? When did you get here?" Jackie asked excitedly.

"About ten minutes ago. I'm at the Hub. Get your butt down here now!" Lucy responded happily. She was glad to be back in Point Place. Sure, traveling was fun, but Lucy had missed her best friend. Plus, she knew Jackie needed her. And, even thought she'd never admit it, the two girls needed each other.

"I'm there!" Jackie answered enthusiastically. She hung up the phone and noticed everyone staring at her. They'd all found Jackie's conversation to be weird. "What?" she asked with her hands on her hips. For a midget that only weighed eighty pounds, Jackie could be pretty intimidating. Mrs. Forman had gone outside for a cigarette, so there were no noisy adults around.

"Who was that?" Donna asked curiously. She had seen Jackie happy, but that dimmed in comparison to the Jackie standing in front of her. She was almost bouncing in place.

Jackie thought about telling them but decided against it. There was too much background information she would need to give them to explain her friendship with Lucy. "No one. I'll be at the Hub. See you guys later!" Jackie answered before leaving.

When she finally got to the Hub, Jackie looked around. Then, she heard someone shout, "Blue!" Jackie turned around to see her best friend, weary but smiling.

"Luce!" Jackie yelped. She gave the girl a fierce hug and sat down. Lucy looked good. Her honey blonde hair was longer and cut in a shaggy style that was flattering to her. She was wearing a white tank top that had safety pins holding it together with ripped jeans and worn-out combats boots. Looking at the two girls together, you would never guess how alike they really were. Lucy looked like she belonged with the Runaways while Jackie was the picture of innocent. This always made Jackie laugh; she was anything but innocent. "What made you come back to live with us commoners?" Jackie joked while picking up a French fry and then putting in back down. Lucy noticed this.

"I don't know. I was just driving out of Arizona and decided that it was time for me to come home. Not that I actually have a home here anymore." Lucy replied wistfully. Her dad was dead, and her mom was locked up in a mental hospital. Lucy had been legally emancipated since she was fifteen, which meant she could come and go as she pleased. Point Place would mean nothing to her if she had never meant two people: Jackie and Jason Burkhart.

Jackie shook her head. "Of course you have a home here. You'll live with me," she reassured her friend. Anyone else would ask what her parents would think about that, but Lucy knew better. She knew that Pam Burkhart was whoring herself out somewhere in Mexico while her husband was doing illegal business in New York. Jackie basically lived alone, except for the housekeeping who came in monthly. Lucy also knew it hadn't always been like that.

"If you insist," Lucy responded. Jackie suspected her friend was accepting partly out of pity, but she didn't mind. Jackie Burkhart didn't care for pity, but she could take it from Lucy. Lucy had seen the best and worst of her and was still her friend. That was a remarkable feat.

The two girls chatted about old times, and Jackie caught her up on the latest gossip in Point Place. Hanging out with those idiotic cheerleaders did pay off in a way. Lucy couldn't wait to see everyone's faces at school. She knew no one had talked about her since she left on Jackie's command. Lucy wondered if anyone would have the balls to bring up Jason; she guessed no. Lucy was also excited to meet these new friends of Jackie. She wanted to test them and see how much Jackie had told them. Knowing Jackie, it couldn't be much. Oh yeah, tomorrow is going to be an interesting day, Lucy decided. It was definitely good to be home.


	2. Lucy's Back and the Band's Back Together

Point Place High School was buzzing with gossip the next day. Everyone was talking about the return of Lucy Ring, the female version of Hyde. "I heard she was in jail," Jake told his girlfriend Lacey. She snorted.

"Please, Lucy could get out of jail by looks alone," Lacey replied with a jealous sigh. It was probably true. Next to Jackie Burkhart, Lucy was the hottest girl to ever attend their dinky little high school.

"Wherever she's been, I bet Jackie knows," Pam Macy suggested. It was common knowledge to everyone except the basement gang that Lucy and Jackie were best friends. No one ever talked about Lucy though. Jackie made sure of that. And if you even said Jason's name, you could guarantee that your car would be totally trashed the next day. If there was one thing the spoiled girl knew how to do, it was hide her secrets.

Everyone was surprised that when some of the cheerleaders asked Jackie where Lucy had been, Jackie replied, "None of your business," and gave them a cool glare. The fake Jackie would've been dishing out details faster than you can say ABBA, but the real Jackie stayed quiet.

No one had the balls to approach Lucy. In her black hoodie, AC DC t-shirt, ripped skinny jeans, and scuffed up combat boots, the girl looked intimating. They couldn't see the broken heart she carried around or the cuts on her wrist. Only Jackie noticed those.

Eventually, as all gossip does, it traveled down to the gang. Of course, whoever told them left out the part of about Lucy being Jackie's best friend. Eric laughed when he heard the part about the girl being a female version of Hyde. "Hey, man, I think your soul mate has arrived," Eric told him jokingly. Hyde only rolled his eyes. He didn't believe in soul mates; that was a Jackie thing. This girl did sound like she'd be a good time, though. Hyde didn't ever think a female version of himself existed.

"Wait, how do we not know this girl?" Donna asked suspiciously. It just seemed odd to her. Their high school was small; everyone knew everyone. Donna had a feeling there was more to the story than what they were being given.

"Who cares. All I know is that she's supposed to be smoking hot. Like, Jackie level hot." Kelso interrupted cheerfully. This made all the boys sit up a little straighter. Even Eric looked excited.

What seemed to be an eternity passed, and it was time for lunch. The gang sat at their usual table in the back, the perfect place to observe everything. Kelso and Fez were rating the boobs of all the girls passing by while Eric and Donna were making out. Hyde only sat there and watched, his sunglasses hiding the direction he was really looking. Jackie was sitting with the cheerleaders as per usual. Truthfully, she would've much rather sat with the gang, but Jackie had a reputation to maintain. She had to make it look like she only hung out with them because of Michael. Everyone knew they had broken up but thought it was only matter of time before they got back together. Jackie swore to never go there again. Michael was a great friend but a terrible boyfriend. She wasn't good at relationships anyways.

All heads turned around when Lucy walked into the cafeteria. The girl walked gracefully towards her destination, giving every guy in the room an opportunity to stare at her ass. There were several cat-calls sounded her way, but Lucy ignored them. She had better things to do. Hyde didn't find himself as attracted to the girl as he thought he would be, but he still thought she was hot. Everyone watched Lucy as she made her way over to the cheerleader table, where Jackie was sitting right in the middle.

An outsider would think that Jackie fit perfectly in the center, but she knew better. If you looked hard enough, you could see the things that Lucy saw. The pained fake smile, the way Jackie would pick up food as if she was going to eat it and then put it back down, and the way her eyes were focused on the clock. Of course, no one could see these things. They saw the bitchy, loud cheerleader Jackie.

Jackie looked up to see her best friend looming over her with a smirk. "Get up, Blue. Follow me." Lucy raised her eyebrow at her friend. "Unless you want to stay here with the Malibu Barbies." Everyone in the cafeteria was watching this exchange.

Kelso decided to shout, "Burn!" Hyde smacked him hard. He was trying to hear what this girl was saying to Jackie.

"Hey! I'm not a Barbie!" one of the stupider cheerleaders, Stacy, responded angrily. Jackie gave the girl an innocent smile.

"You're right. You're not a Barbie." Jackie said sweetly. Stacy beamed at Jackie. "You're just an airhead." And with that, Jackie picked up her tray and followed Lucy to a table not too far away from the gang's. No one could believe what had just happened. Jackie Burkhart had not only dissed a fellow cheerleader, but she also left the cheerleader table. The gang was especially in shock.

"Oh my God. The dark side is turning good. That means that Darth Vader is the hero while Luke Skywalker is the villain! The world is rotating in the opposite direction." Eric said in mock-panic. Donna rolled her eyes at the Star Wars reference.

"Hey, Forman, why can't you go a day without referencing Star Wars?" Hyde asked, sarcasm dripping out of his voice.

"Same reason Fez needs to eat candy. I don't know how to live without out it." Eric replied. Everyone looked over at Fez, who was currently devouring a box of Milk Duds. He looked up at his friends, then back down at the box of candy.

"Don't touch my candy!" the foreigner shouted childishly. Everyone just laughed at their friend while Eric smirked.

"See? The force has been proven!" he responded with delight. Hyde just smacked him for the Star Wars language.

Suddenly, the cafeteria became quiet again as Lucy yelled, "Dex and Trey! Over here!" The seniors turned to look at the two scruffy looking guitarists entering the cafeteria. Most of the student body knew who the two were due to the numerous bands they'd played with. Dexter was tall and lean, with a five o'clock aftershave and shaggy black hair that looked like he never brushed it. Most people forgot he was British due to his lack of an accent. Trey looked like your all-American boy, blonde haired and blued eyes, with well-kept muscles and an enchanting smile. They both played a wicked guitar, Trent mainly on bass. Even being that hot, most decent girls would never even talk to them. They were rockers after all.

The guys slowly walked over to Jackie's table, Hyde watching them carefully. They sat down. Only Hyde and Donna could hear the conversation since the noise level of the room had increased. Everyone was speculating on why the guitarist were sitting with the bad-ass and the cheerleader. "So, Blue, you've returned from hell?" Trent asked, a joking smile on his face.

Jackie smirked and responded, "Yeah, I met your ex-girlfriend down there." Lucy cracked up hysterically while he shrugged, admitting defeat. Hyde looked at the spoiled girl, impressed. He didn't know Jackie had it in her.

Dexter easily changed the subject. "So, tonight at five?" he asked, knowing it wasn't really that much of a question. He had known Jackie and Lucy since they were ten and could read the girls easily. He noticed how Jackie wasn't touching her tray and how she kept looking over at that Hyde guy. Dexter also noticed how Lucy kept pulling her sleeves down. He knew both girls missed what they had before.

"What makes you think I'll show up?" Jackie challenged. Truthfully, she was dying to play her drums; she hadn't touched them in over a year. Jackie wasn't able to keep them at her house since her parents would have a fit if they found out, so Dexter hid them at his house. Jason had bought them for her when she turned thirteen.

"Now you can join an evil rock band and be disowned," he'd joked when he'd given them to her. Ironically, Jason was the one who taught her how to play them when she was ten and told her she had real talent. He was the founder, male leader singer, and sometimes guitarist of their band, The Heartbreakers. Jackie pushed the memory into the back of her mind. All of these things she'd tried to forget were coming back to her. And honestly, Jackie missed them. Sure, she did like her new friendships and her popularity was at the very least comforting, but she missed being herself. She missed being Blue instead of Jackie.

Dexter only laughed. "I know you, Blue. You'll show up." Jackie could only nod because she knew he was right. Like it or not, Jackie would show up to Dexter's house for band practice. She also knew she would love every minute of it.

The newly reunited friends chatted the rest of lunch. Jackie and Lucy left before they could be bombarded with questions while Trent and Dexter casually strolled out the building to smoke. The cheerleaders looked angry but were easily calmed down by the talk of a clearance sale at the mall. Hyde and Donna were really confused at this point. Donna was all unsure of who her supposed best friend really was. Watching her leave with Lucy and those guys especially confused Hyde, who knew Jackie would never even talk to those type of people. The two were now extremely curious. What was going on with Jackie?


	3. Band Practice and Meeting the Gang

**Okay, sorry about the confusion over Trent/Trey. Just to clarify things for you guys, his name is now Trent cuz I think that name's cooler. I got confused when I was writing this. That's what I get for not having a beta. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Oh, and I do not own this show cuz if I did, Donna would've never gone blonde. That's just wrong**

Lucy and Jackie walked into Dexter's garage to find it completely unchanged. The place still reeked of pot and gasoline oil, while posters of Dexter's favorite bands remained in their normal spots. The Led Zeppelin poster made Jackie feel a twinge in her chest. She ignored and walked over to her beloved drums. Lucy watched as her best friend started pounding out a simple beat with child-like glee. Sure, she was a drummer too, but you could Jackie was the one who really loved it. Drumming was like air to her; she was dead without it. Suddenly, something popped into Jackie's head. "I wrote a new song!" she shouted while searching for her journal.

The band waited in anticipation. Lucy imagined Jackie probably had a lot of new songs after the last year. It was like the girl's version of therapy. Lucy had her own therapy but like the way Jackie dealt with her issues. Well, most of the time. She wasn't a huge fan of the starve until you faint thing.

Jackie found the song page and handed it to Lucy. Lucy began to sing while Jackie found the beat on her drums. Trent and Dexter followed her lead.

Hey, hey, hey, hey

Top down in the summer sun

The day we met was like a hit and run

And I still taste it on my tongue

The sky was burning up like fireworks

You made me want you, oh, so bad it hurt

But boy, in cause you haven't heard

I used to be love drunk, but now I'm hungover

I love you forever, forever is over

We used to kiss all night, now it's just a bar fight

So don't call me crying, say hello to goodbye

Everyone was really impressed with this song. "Damn, Blue, I'd hate to be the guy who pissed off," Dexter complimented her after they finished playing it. The petite brunette's looks sometimes made it easy to forget about all the hostility inside of her. Plus, even reputations you know aren't true influence how you think.

"So it was good?" Jackie asked nervously. She remembered what a frenzy she'd been in while writing that song. It hadn't been pretty, resulting in a few pieces of broken furniture.

"It was damn good," Lucy responded cheerfully. She liked the song, but something about it scared her. The cynical attitude in the song didn't sound like the Jackie she knew. Sure, Jackie wasn't good at relationships, but she'd always believed in them. Singing those lyrics that came from Jackie's heart made Lucy nervous. Like the girl she knew was slipping away.

"I hate to be the party pooper," Trent started to say, earning a laugh from everyone, "But we should probably find a new male lead singer." Jackie froze at the mention of it.

"No!" she yelled. "NO!" Jackie couldn't hear what her friend was trying to tell her about gigs and deals. All she could hear was that he was trying to fill Jason's spot. Jackie wouldn't allow that. "If you get a new male lead singer, I'll quit."

Trent paused. They would be screwed without Jackie. She was their songwriter, drummer, and lead singer. He decided to bring it up later. Lucy looked at him sympathetically. Her heart agreed with Jackie, but her mind agreed with Trent. Lucy watched Jackie start to walk toward her car and smiled at the guys. "See you tomorrow."

"Will she be okay?" Dexter had to whisper. Lucy only shrugged; she had to figure out what's wrong before she could answer that question.

The girls didn't talk the entire ride over to the basement. When Lucy parked the car, she stopped Jackie from getting out. "Look, I know you don't want to replace him, and I totally agree. But, Jason was all about the band. He would want us to rock, you know? So, just think about it." Lucy calmly said to Jackie, who nodded and hugged her friend.

Jackie apologized. "I'm sorry for my outburst." On that note, the two best friends made their way to the basement door. Jackie stopped her friend before going in. "Don't tell them about him," she pleaded with Lucy. The girls entered only to find Kelso and Fez on the ground, Fez crying like a little girl.

"My Playboy!" Fez shouted childishly. Jackie burst out laughing. The guys were fighting over a magazine you could buy in any store for a buck or two.

Kelso immediately smiled at Jackie's friend and flipped his hair. "I'm Kelso," he politely introduced himself while giving Lucy the once-over. She rolled her eyes at the guy's obviousness.

"Oh, so you're the idiot my friend dated?" Lucy asked sweetly. Kelso nodded his head anxiously. By now, the rest of the gang was watching. Lucy leaned in close to Kelso, making him excited, and then kicked him in the shins. No one could contain their laughter.

"Ow!" Kelso shouted, cringing over in pain. He turned to the brunette midget. "Jackie, your friend is mean!" Jackie only shrugged, her eyes betraying amusement.

"I'm sorry, Kelso, but you totally deserved that for what you did to Blue," Lucy pointed out. Kelso looked at her in confusion.

"Who's Blue?" he asked curiously. Kelso hoped this Blue was hot. Jackie rolled her eyes at her ex-boyfriend's idiocy.

"I'm Blue, Michael. Jackie and Blue are the same person." she explained to him slowly. A look of realization burst upon his face.

"Hey, Devil, who's your minion?" Eric asked sarcastically. Lucy just smirked at him.

"I just so happen to be Jackie's oldest friend and the one who taught her everything she knows. I am not a minion. And you are?" Lucy replied with force. Eric was impressed by the girl's attitude. She was a force to be reckoned with.

He introduced himself. "I'm Eric."

"Oh, so you're the skinny, Star Wars geek?" Lucy mocked.

"I am not a geek!" Eric protested. Lucy pointed the action figure collection she saw on a nearby shelf. He admitted defeat.

She looked over at Donna and said, "You must be Donna, the red-headed lumberjack." Lucy turned to Jackie and whispered, "She won't be as much work as you thought."

Lucy saw Fez staring at her boobs and said, "You must be Fez, the candy-loving pervert."

"You're my goddess's friend," he said in awe. "I didn't know my goddess had such gorgeous friends." Lucy blushed.

"I like him," she whispered to Jackie.

Lucy looked over at Hyde and immediately knew this was the guy Jackie had been talking about in her letters. She saw the sparks between them, how Hyde was always glancing over at Jackie, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. "And you're Hyde, the dirty hippie."

He laughed. "Was that all the princess had to say about us?" Hyde asked sarcastically. He was positive that whatever this girl knew was wrong.

Lucy's answer surprised him. "No. Her letters always mentioned you guys. It was comforting to know someone was watching over Jackie." This puzzled Hyde even further. They weren't Jackie's only friends.

"So, where have you been?" Donna asked curiously. She still didn't understand how Jackie and this girl could even get along, let alone be best friends.

"Anywhere and everywhere," Lucy vaguely replied. "Arizona, Houston, Los Angles, Chicago, New York.."

"Seattle?" Jackie asked carefully. She knew Lucy's mother was painful subject for the girl.

"No Seattle," Lucy responded with a far off look in her eyes.

Hyde watched the two girls communicate in their own way. He could tell they'd been best friends for a while because they had that same easiness he had with Forman, Kelso, and Donna. He'd never imagined Jackie's best friend would look or act anything like Lucy. Then again, Hyde seemed to be discovering how little he actually knew about Jackie.

"So, how did you come up with the nickname Blue?" Hyde casually asked, noticing the devious smile Lucy gave Jackie.

"No, Luce," Jackie said out of nowhere. She knew what was coming.

"Please?" Lucy begged with a pout.

"No!"

"Please?"

"NO!"

"Bitch!"

"Slut!"

"Whore!"

"Harlot!"

"Stripper!"

"Hooker!"

"Home-wrecker!"

"Bimbo!"

"Airhead!"

"Stop ladies!" Fez shouted excitedly. "If there is going to be a fight, I need to get a camera." Jackie and Lucy both gave him a weird look.

"What fight?" Jackie asked quizzically.

"The one you seem to be having with Lucy," Hyde explained to her with a roll of his eyes that she couldn't see under his sunglasses.

"Oh, that?" Jackie laughed. "We do that all the time. It's all a joke. I don't think Lucy is any of those things."

"So heartwarming," Eric said to his girlfriend, who smacked him lightly on the shoulder. Jackie and Lucy sat next to the couple on the couch. They all were watching Charlie's Angels when an idea popped into Kelso's head.

"I should get a tattoo of Farah Fawcett on my butt!" Hyde chuckled at this.

"I think you should go right ahead with that, Kelso," Hyde told his idiotic friend. It would make an interesting burn.

Suddenly, Kelso looked worried. "Do tattoos hurt?"

"I don't know. You should ask Jackie." Lucy said with a wicked smile. Jackie's eyes widened when she realized what her best friend had just revealed. Everyone stared at her with dropped jaws.

"You have a tattoo?" Donna shouted. She felt so out of the loop right now. Jackie was acting weird, and she needed to know what was up.

"No," Jackie tried to lie. Unfortunately for her, Lucy pulled down her dress strap and held her hair up. Hyde moved closer to read it.

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." It took a moment for Hyde to know who said that. "You picked a John Lennon quote?"

"I was drunk. I don't remember a thing." Jackie confessed. While everyone else was busy reading the tattoo off of Jackie's shoulder blade. Hyde was able to really notice how bony Jackie was. Her bone stuck out in an almost unnatural way. The rest of her back looked bony as well. He knew Jackie should be small for such a short girl, but she looked too thin to him. Hyde made a mental note to mention it to Lucy. He noticed how that girl never took her sweatshirt off, weird considering how hot the basement was. He also noticed how Jackie refused a Popsicle, claiming that she wasn't that hot even though you could see tiny beads of sweat on her neck. Hyde didn't know what he was going to do with these details. He hoped it would help him figure out the spoiled princess he was somehow attracted to.

**Song: Love Drunk by Boys Like Girls**

***Changed it from Oh girl to Oh boy for story purposes. I don't own the really awesome song or band. If I did, I'd be rich and famous. BTW, Happy Holidays to everyone. **


	4. Jackie's Song and Secrets

**Okay, so I just wanted to say hey and thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate your feedback and encourage it. I'd just like to say what an awesome country we live in that you can find That 70s Show on two different channels on Christmas. It kept me sane at my aunt's house with eight little kids running around. ****L Anyways, I don't own this show. If I did, season eight would be entirely redone.**

The rest of the week went by surprisingly fast for the gang. Every guy in school ogled Lucy, none of them catching her eye. Contrary to everyone's bets, Jackie didn't get jealous. In fact, the midget encouraged her friend to do a little flirting. Jackie knew Lucy had yet to get over Jason, just like she had never completely gotten over her first love. The best friends sat with their band mates at lunch, sitting at a table farther away from the gang per Jackie's request. She had a feeling Donna and Hyde were picking up on things and getting suspicious. The band used lunch as a planning time, Jackie tweaking songs and Dexter telling them their gigs. Trent had yet to bring up the new male lead singer thing again. He decided to wait until after their gig on Saturday. Meanwhile, the gang slowly grew to enjoy Lucy's presence in the basement. She turned Jackie into a different person, which only made Donna and Hyde realize what a mask Jackie wore all the time.

Lucy was sitting in the basement, watching TV, fresh from band practice. Jackie had stayed at Dexter's later to nail the drummer solo in a new song. Truthfully, she just wasn't done playing yet. Lucy, knowing she was alone, slipped into the bathroom upstairs. She got out the small pocketknife she kept in her pocket and pushed up her sleeves. Lucy pressed the blade against her skin, enjoying the cool sting it brought. Lucy watch blood drip into the sink. She felt alive again. Lucy needed to feel alive. After Jason died, all she felt was dead inside. Cutting herself reminded Lucy she was still there. Jackie had caught her doing it once but hadn't ratted her out. The midget knew what it was like to deal with pain. Instead, Jackie had helped her clean up the cuts and carefully monitored her friend. Lucy always made sure not to cut too deep; she didn't want to die. Jackie needed her.

Unfortunately for Lucy, Jackie walked into the bathroom just as Lucy was wrapping up her cuts. "Lucy, what the hell?" Jackie shouted angrily. She had seen the healing cut marks on her friend and assumed Lucy had stopped. Clearly, she hadn't. Lucy started to cry softly.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just get too numb. I become my mother." she sobbed into Jackie's shoulder. The midget rubbed her best friend's back softly.

"You're not your mother. You have so much in your life. I hope you realize that one day." Jackie comforted her friend, looking her straight in the eyes. "You're stronger than you think." With a word, Jackie lead Lucy to the Forman's rarely used piano. "This song should make you feel better. It's shows just how screwed up I am." Lucy remained silent at this. Jackie was painfully aware of her flaws. It was the reason she acted like she did. She began to sing, playing a soft melody as she did. Neither girl realized Hyde was standing in the doorway, listening to Jackie sing.

2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake

She says, "Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?"

"I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season."

Yeah, we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes

Like they have any right at all to criticize,

Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason

'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable

And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table

No one can find the rewind button, girl

So cradle your head in your hands

And breathe… just breathe

In May, he turned 21 on the base of Fort Bliss

Just a day, he sat down to the flask in his fist,

Ain't been sober since maybe October of last year

Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while

But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,

Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it

'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on on a cable

And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table

No one can find the rewind button, girl

So cradle your head in your hands

And breathe… just breathe

There's a light at each end of this tunnel,

You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out

And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again

If you only try turning around

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song

If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,

Threatening the life it belongs to

And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd

Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud

I know that you'll use them however you want to

But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,

And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table

No one could find the rewind button now

Sing it if you understand

And breathe, just breathe

Woah, breathe, just breathe

Oh, breathe, just breathe

Hyde stood there in shock. He had never expected such depth from the spoiled cheerleader. Jackie acted as if she was all unicorns and rainbows, which usually pissed Hyde off. After his childhood, he couldn't stand people who didn't live in the real world. Now Hyde realized that there was more to Jackie than she let on. He could see the pain in her mismatched eyes.

"Wow, Blue. That was amazing." Lucy whispered in awe. The song had so much emotion in it; it was like a piece of Jackie's soul in her hands. Lucy knew that Jackie had been to therapy numerous times, but it had never helped the midget. One of the therapists had suggested that she keep a journal, which turned into songwriting. Jackie hadn't gone back to therapy since.

Jackie only shrugged, unable to speak. Singing that song had been painful for her, a huge blow in her heart. It reminded her of all the bad things in her life: her childhood, her first relationship, and Jason's death. Jackie had been in the hospital when she wrote the song. She had fainted from dehydration; the part about what's inside her threatening the life it belongs to was literal. Everything that Jackie was feeling had been killing her. If it hadn't been for the songwriting and Lucy, she was certain she'd been dead by now.

Lucy could sense Jackie's hurt. She was a little curious to learn who it was about. Lucy tried to change the subject. "So, want to go to the Hub and grab a bite to eat?"

Jackie shook her head lightly. Though the pangs in her stomach just kept getting worse and worse, she refused to give in. Jackie felt a sense of accomplishment when she saw the numbers on the scale go down. It made her feel good about herself in a twisted way. In Jackie's eyes, the hunger pangs and the non-eating were all worth it in the end. Or at least those were the lies she tried to feed herself. "Nah, I'm good," Jackie answered lightly.

"Blue…" Lucy said worriedly. She was scared out of her mind for Jackie. The girl had no idea how over her head she was. Lucy knew Jackie appeared superficial to everyone else, but all she saw was a deeply insecure girl who was lonely and in need of love.

"No, Luce. Not today." Jackie cut off her friend before the conversation got too far. She wasn't about to hash this out with Lucy, who Jackie knew wasn't afraid to give her a swift verbal whooping. Before Jackie landed in the hospital, Lucy was very cautious in her approach to help her. But, after it happened, Lucy's approach became a little more aggressive. Jackie had a feeling her friend would spill her secret to the gang eventually out of concern. Well, either that, or they'd figure it out on their own.

Hyde watched this interaction with interest. Lucy must've known some secret of Jackie's because the cheerleader's face looked worried. It made him extremely curious. What things did Jackie Burkhart have to hide? But, Lucy's tone didn't sound threatening enough to indict that she was going to tell. It was more of a pleading tone, like she was worried about Jackie. Hyde mentally cursed himself for caring so much about this spoiled princess, but the more he learned about Jackie the more he was convinced there was more to Jackie than that.

"Hey, am I interrupting something?" Hyde asked, stepping out of the doorway and into the living room, his eyes studying the two best friends behind the shades.

"No," the girls answered in unison. Hyde smirked at how alike the girls really were. Lucy looked like a rocker chick while Jackie screamed virgin, but the two girls acted like twins.

"Oh, and by the way, we're going to a bar tonight. Want to come?" Lucy asked Hyde casually. He raised an eyebrow.

"You're going to a bar?" Hyde asked in disbelief. Jackie always complained about how dirty and smelly bars were. Jackie only shrugged.

"You don't know everything about me, Steven," she replied with a roll of her eyes. Lucy had to repress her giggles. That was an understatement.

"Sure," Hyde replied. "I'll tell everyone else." He walked away, his head swirling with questions. The girls went back to the basement and watched TV, both girls trying to formulate a plan to hide their trail. That night was going to be interesting to say the least.

**I don't own Breathe by Anna Nalick, though I wish I did. It's a kick-ass song. I don't know if it really fits in the story, but I used it anyways. It just seemed like something Jackie would write. Anyways, read and review! **


	5. Jackie, the Drinking Devil

The gang walked into a bar called Ricky's with apprehension. Hyde had told them that Lucy and Jackie were going there tonight and had invited them. After everyone got over the initial shock of Jackie going to a bar, they all decided to check it out. Hyde looked around for the two girls but couldn't find them. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Hyde turned around to see Lucy. "Hey, we've been waiting forever for you guys," she had to shout over the noisy crowd. Kelso and Fez started at Lucy in awe.

"You look hot," Kelso said without any thought. Fez nodded his head excitedly in agreement. Even a gay guy would have to admit that Lucy looked smoking in her slashed black tank top, tight leather pants, black arm warmers, and black combat boots.

"Thanks," Lucy responded with a roll of her eyes. Jackie had been right about Kelso; he was such a man whore. But, the midget had also told her that he was a good friend, so Lucy had yet to pass judgment on him.

"Where's Jackie?" Donna asked curiously. Surely, Jackie would want to hang around someone who could protect her from the sleazy types that like to frequent bars.

Lucy laughed like Donna had told a really funny joke. When she realized no one else knew why she was laughing, she stopped. "At the bar," Lucy said casually. "Three drinks ahead of everyone else," she mumbled to herself. Only Hyde heard her. Lucy hated seeing Jackie drunk; it reminded her of Pam Burkhart. Jason had hated it too.

"She acts like our mother when she does that," he'd complain. "She's better than that." Of course, Jackie was nothing like her mother. She wasn't an alcoholic floozy. Jackie only drank when she was in a really bad place. She'd get incredibly drunk and do something really stupid. Lucy couldn't count the number of times she'd helped Jackie out of tough situation. The worst she'd ever seen her friend was after Jason's funeral. Jackie had gone on a huge binge and drank for three days straight. Lucy was convinced she was going to kill herself that way. Surprisingly, that wasn't what landed Jackie in the hospital. Not eating did that.

They all walked over to the bar, where Jackie was the middle of telling a story. You could tell she was a bit drunk, but not too bad. The gang was in shock; Jackie never drank. All the guys stared at how hot Jackie looked in a short denim skirt, a tight cropped flower-printed tank top, and tall tan boots. "And so I said, 'You need to put the keys in before you start the car." Everyone around her cracked up laughing, even Kelso, who hadn't ev3en heard the rest of the joke. Jackie turned around and saw her friends. "Hey guys! What took you so long?"

"We had to make sure someone wasn't playing a joke on us," Eric answered with a smirk. Jackie glared at him.

"For your information, I've been here several times. Just ask Sal." Jackie fired back. "Hey, Sal!" she shouted over to the bartender, a big burly guy who reminded Eric of Darth Varder. "Can you tell this skinny nerd how many times I've been here?"

Sal smiled. Jackie was one of his favorite customers, especially since her band often played free gigs. He still served her even though she was underage but only because he like the midget. "Yeah, she comes here all the time. Even when we beg her not to." Sal answered jokingly. Jackie realized what had just been revealed about her.

"Hey, can we get some beers for our friends?" Lucy interrupted before Eric can say something. Sal nodded and set them on the bar. The gang all got a bit drunk, but not nearly at the same level as Lucy and Jackie. The two girls were doing shots while they were just sticking with beers. Fez tried one of the shots and proclaimed that it tasted gross. Donna felt drunk just sniffing it. Hyde was amazed at how well Jackie could hold her liquor seeing as how small she was.

"Hey, Sal. Can I get another one?" Jackie shouted cheerfully. She was always the most carefree completely wasted. Then again, most people probably were. Jackie knew Jason would hate how she was acting right now, but she didn't care. He wasn't here to stop her.

"No," the bartender told her wisely. He knew the girl was unpredictable when she was this hammered, and he didn't want any damages.

"Why not?" Jackie whined. Lucy choked back a laugh. Jackie glared at her. Everyone sat back and enjoyed the show.

"Because you've hit your limit," Sal responded firmly. Everyone laughed.

"Ha ha. You have a limit!" Kelso shouted stupidly. Hyde frogged him. "Hey, what was that for?" he shouted, rubbing the spot where Hyde hit him.

"Just felt like it," Hyde smoothly replied. Donna watched him carefully before turning back to Eric, who was babbling on about Star Wars.

"Since when do I have a limit?" Jackie asked angrily, choosing to ignore the idiots around her. She needed another drink. It would comfort her lonely heart.

"Since you threw a stool and put a hole in the wall," Sal reminded her sternly. Jackie looked at her drink thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging.

"You threw a stool at the wall?" Donna asked incredulously. She knew her friend had a temper, but she never thought Jackie would do anything like that.

"No," Jackie replied causally. "I threw it at a person." Hyde cracked up laughing.

"I told you she was the devil," Eric said triumphantly, taking a sip of his beer and then making out with his girlfriend.

Suddenly Jackie's body went rigid. Lucy turned around and saw the guy that had stolen both Jackie's heart and virginity when they were freshmen. Andy Ferris walked in with his arm over a trashy blonde and a smirk on his face. He spotted Jackie and left the blonde. Hyde and Kelso both immediately got a bad vibe off this guy. "Hey, Jackie. Still hanging around a bar desperately searching for guys I see." the jerk said with a cruel laugh.

"Still a dick I see," Lucy chimed in. She hated this guy with every fiber of her being. Andy was the first guy to break Jackie's heart and strip her of her self-respect. After him, Jackie started sleeping with guys for comfort, trying to find something that resembled love. Of course, she had a few good relationships too, but Jackie always had felt like she was missing something.

"And you're still a bitch," Andy replied venomously. Hyde took one look at this dude and nailed him in the face. He wasn't about to let this dude insult Jackie and her friend. They all ran out of the bar as fast as possible, even though Lucy and Jackie knew Sal wouldn't call the cops on them. It was just instinct. They finally got to the basement. Jackie sat down on the couch and stared at the blank TV. Lucy sat next to her and said nothing. Hyde sat in his chair while everyone else scattered around.

Finally, Jackie spoke. "Why didn't you just let me handle him?" she asked Lucy angrily.

"Because you would've let him sweet-talk you into something I'm sure you don't want a bad repeat of. You would've acted like…" Lucy trailed off. Everyone watched steam rise out of Jackie's ears.

"Like who?" she asked her best friend angrily. Jackie knew what Lucy was saying was true, but she didn't feel like hearing it.

"Your mother," Lucy replied coolly. "And you're better than that." Now everyone was really confused.

"Screw you," Jackie told her oldest friend while getting up and walking out the door. Lucy sat there for a minute before realizing what she had just said.

"Shit," Lucy mumbled. She turned to Donna. "Can you go out and make sure she doesn't try to walk home?" The lumberjack nodded and ran outside to catch the midget.

Hyde thought about something. "Hey, Lucy, what did you say to Jackie that was so bad?" he asked curiously. Everyone gave her a questioning look.

"I told her she was like her mother. Jackie hates being compared to her mother." Lucy answered vaguely.

"Why would she be offended? Jackie's mom is hot!" Kelso exclaimed while picturing Pam in a bikini.

"She's also an alcoholic who's more concerned about drinking and sleeping with cabana boys in Mexico to be there for her daughter," Lucy explained absentmindedly. In her drunken state, she forgot that Jackie didn't want them to know about her family.

Hyde snorted. Jackie was always bragging about stuff her mom had bought her or money that her dad had given her. He doubted that her family was anything less than perfect. "Yeah right. The way Jackie's always bragging about the stuff they've given her doesn't make me think her family's unhappy."

Lucy rolled her eyes at how little they knew. Jackie was certainly good at keeping people in the dark. "Yeah, they shower Jackie with gifts to make up for the fact that they're never around." Everyone gave her a confused look. "Jackie's mom, as I said, is always somewhere boozing it up and doing it with hot young men, and Jackie's dad is always on business. She's lucky if she sees them twice a year. Jackie's parents give her stuff instead of love. Not a great replacement, but everyone needs something."

They all sat in silence, soaking up this new information. If you thought about it, it really did explain Jackie's personality. She was materialistic and superficial because no one had ever gave her love. Jackie's bitchness and shallowness were just defense mechanisms so that people couldn't hurt her. At the moment, everyone in the room liked Jackie just a bit more.

"And how do you know all this?" Donna asked carefully, now back from driving Jackie home. This girl knew a side of Jackie none of them even knew existed.

"I've was Jackie's neighbor until we were fourteen and have been her friend since we were five," Lucy responded nonchalantly.

Something she said earlier popped out at Hyde. "Wait, you said Jackie's lucky if she sees her parents twice a year. Does that mean Jackie lives alone?" he asked worriedly.

"No. I'm living with her right now, and there's always been someone around," Lucy responded ambiguously. She may have spilled the beans about Jackie's parents, but she wasn't going to say a word about Jason. Lucy knew she wasn't strong enough to talk about him. Lucy looked over at the clock and decided that she should leave. "I've got to go. See you guys tomorrow!" she said before walking out. Everyone watched Jackie's friend walk away in amazement. The girl had managed to change their entire view of a person in less than ten minutes.

Donna thought about all the lies Jackie had told and how easily they had slipped off her tongue. She wondered what else Jackie had lied about.

Hyde felt a crushing guilt for the way he'd always treated Jackie, like she was a spoiled princess. He'd always thought she had parents who loved her the way his never had. From the sounds of it, Hyde realized that Jackie's parents were just as bad as his, maybe worse. And at least Hyde had the Formans now. They loved him like another son. Jackie had no one.

Kelso and Fez were still thinking about how hot Jackie's mom was. It was Eric who had the most interesting thought of all. Maybe, he thought, Jackie wasn't the devil. Maybe she was just a girl who'd been let down and broken too many times.


	6. Tell Me Why

Jackie woke up with a pounding headache and guilt hanging over her head. She vaguely remembered arguing with Lucy last night but couldn't remember what had been said. Jackie's memory had been wiped away by the many shots she had done the night before. She also remembered running into Andy and his trashy blonde of the week. That guy had been the first to take her heart and smash it, taking away her innocence. Jackie slept with him, positive that he loved her, and then he went behind her back with frickin' Pam Macy. Jackie had only been fifteen. She cried herself to sleep for over a month, and no one had been able to comfort her. Finally, Jason had spoken up. "Jackie, this isn't healthy. Andy was just a guy. There are a million better guys out there who actually deserve you. You're too good for him." This little piece of advice had snapped Jackie out of her funk. She sat down and wrote two songs about the breakup and then hit the bar with Lucy and Jason. Since then, Jackie had tried to keep the upper hand in her relationships. If she had the upper hand, her heart wouldn't be smashed.

"Blue?" Jackie sat up in bed to see Lucy carrying a tray into her room. She knew her friend well enough to know this was an apology. "I brought you some fruit and coffee."

"Thanks," Jackie replied cheerfully, carefully taking the tray and picking at the contents. She picked up a grape and took a tiny bite. Lucy smiled. Jackie wasn't mad at her for what she said.

The girls sat in silence as Jackie ate three more grapes and finished her coffee. Lucy wished Jackie had finished the whole fruit bowl, but she knew not expect that from the tiny brunette. She had once witnessed Jackie having a meltdown over a bowl of cereal. The girl had a serious problem, whether she wanted to admit or not. Then again, so did Lucy. The two friends were both in denial about their lives. "Hey, you know I didn't mean what I said last night, right? You're nothing like Pam."

Jackie gave her friend a tired smile. "I know. You were just trying to help me. I wouldn't listen. I had it coming." She knew she did act like her mom sometimes. It wasn't something Jackie was proud of. The only time she could relate to her whorish mother was when she was heartbroken and drunk, trying to convince some guy to sleep with her. Jason had hated this behavior, which was why exactly why Jackie did it. She could still hear his voice giving her advice in her head before she did something bad. If Jackie behaved, she would lose that.

Lucy quickly changed the subject. "So, you need to shower and get dress. Dexter called an emergency band meeting before the gig tonight. Trent found a new male lead singer, and we need to practice the set list with him." Jackie's body tightened up, but she didn't say anything. Trent and Lucy had been right; they needed a new male lead singer. Jackie knew Jason would've been all for it. That band had been his life, and he would've done anything for it.

Jackie got ready while Lucy sat on her bed, sorting through some old pictures. All of their childhood had been recorded in numerous photo albums put together by whatever nanny had been taking care of Jackie at the time. There were pictures of Lucy and Jackie on matching pink bicycles, a picture of Jackie with two front teeth missing, and a picture of a proud Jason in a cast. That made Lucy's heart twinge. She remembered that day. Jason had challenged her to a bike racing contest. Lucy had been ten and he had been nine. She had gotten the lead, but Jason had quickly caught up to her. He won, but in his victory lap he crashed into a telephone poll. His arm was fractured in three places, but Jason claimed it was all worth it.

Memories like that wouldn't stop plaguing her mind. They hadn't since Jason died, sending both her and Jackie into a tailspin. "Hey, Luce?" Lucy turned around to see Jackie holding up two skirts, a leather one and a ruffled one. "Which one will go better with my Beatles shirt?"

Lucy smiled. Jackie always wore a skirt to their gigs. "If I'm going to act like a boy, I might as well remind them that I'm a girl," she would explain whenever someone would ask why she was wearing a skirt. Plus, Dexter liked to add that the shorter Jackie's skirt was, the more guys who would come to the show. She usually would slap him for making that comment. "Leather. It's more rock and roll." Lucy responded, facing the mirror to fix her eyeliner. "Plus, the ruffles won't go with your Beatles shirt." Jackie nodded in agreement and went to changed.

Lucy was wearing her slashed white t-shirt with a leather jacket and her tightest skinny jeans paired with black Converse. Jackie came out in her Beatles t-shirt, black leather skirt, and high black boots. The girls, deciding that they looked good enough, headed over to Dexter's.

Later that night, the gang was hanging out in the basement when Kelso ran in, excited and out of breath. "Guys! Tonight, there is.." The pretty boy tried to take deep breaths. His friends waited impatiently.

"Spit it out, Kelso," Hyde practically barked. He was in a bad mood that night, mostly because Jackie hadn't made an appearance in the basement that day.

"There's a new band playing at Club Skunk tonight. From what I've heard, they're not have bad, and they have two hot girls." Kelso put an extra emphasize on the "two hot girls" part.

"I'm in," Fez shouted excitedly. He'd do anything as long as there were hot chicks there for him to stare at.

Eric looked at Donna. His decision depended on hers. "Why not? We haven't been to a club in a while." she responded.

"I'm in," Eric added immediately after his girlfriend responded. Hyde only shook his head and snickered. Forman was so whipped that it was hilarious. Still, a nagging part of him told him that he wouldn't mind being whipped that so much if he was with Jackie. Hyde shook the thought out of his mind.

"I'll go as long as I'm not buying the beers," was his casual response. Hyde knew that, while the beers wouldn't wipe away all of his fantasies, it would dull them.

So, after watching Happy Days for a bit, the gang piled in the Vista Cruiser and drove to Club Skunk. By the time they got in, the club was loud, smoky, and packed. Fez was designated to go get the beers. Eric found a table on the side, and they all sat down. After a few minutes, a guy with shaggy black hair and a five o'clock aftershave stepped onto the stage. Hyde recognized him as one of those guitarists that Jackie ate lunch with. "Hey, I'm Dexter, and I'd like to introduce my band, The Heartbreakers." To the surprise of the gang, there was loud applause, especially for a new band. What they didn't know was that the band wasn't exactly new. "First up, is our kick-ass bass player and my best mate, Trent. Ladies, he is single. His number is…" At that point, Trent walked up and smacked Dexter, preventing his number from entering the hands of the crowd. To say that many girls were disappointed would be an understatement.

Dexter rolled his eyes. "Fine, moving on. Here's one of our lead singers and drummers fresh off a tour of the country. I would give you her number, but unfortunately I enjoy life. Lucy everyone." Lucy stepped on stage, and every guy in the room stared at her. She looked so hot that it made Fez run to the bathroom to take care of his needs.

"And here's our new male lead singer and guitarist, Greg," Dexter said briefly. He personally didn't like the dude. Trent had been right, but it still shouldn't have been so easy to replace Jason. He had been their best friend, Lucy's boyfriend, and Jackie's brother. He felt like it should be harder for them to move on.

"And finally, our bad-ass drummer and lead singer, one of my best friends, the one and only…" Dexter trailed off, trying to build the suspense. Lucy and Jackie had always been the crowd favorites, and he liked to announce them last. "Jackie, aka Blue." The gang's jaws all dropped as Jackie stepped on stage in the hottest leather skirt Hyde had ever seen holding a pair of drum sticks. She took a seat by the drums and started pounding out a beat. Dexter and Greg followed on guitar with Trent on bass. Lucy started to sing.

I took a chance, I took a shot

And you might think I'm bullet-proof but I'm not

You took a swing, I took it hard

And down here from the ground I see who you are

I'm sick and tired of your attitude, I'm feeling like I don't know

You tell me that you love me then cut me down

And I need you like a hot beat but you know you got a mean streak

Makes me run for cover when you're around

And here's to you and yourself, oh yourself

Remember what you said last night

And I know that you see what you're doing to me

Tell me why

You could write a book on how to ruin someone's perfect day

And I get so confused and frustrated

Forget what I'm trying to say

Oh, oh

I'm sick and tired of your reasons

I got no one to believe in

You tell me that you want me then push me around

I need you like a hot beat but you know you got a mean streak

Makes me run for cover when you're around

Here's to you and your temper

Remember what you said last night

And I know that you see what you're doing to me

Tell me why

Why do you have to make me small so you can feel whole inside?

Why do you have to put down my dreams so you're the only thing on my mind?

Well, I'm sick and tired of your attitude

I'm feeling like I don't know you

You tell me that you want me then cut me down

I'm sick and tired of your reasons

I got no one to believe in

You ask me for my love then you push me around

Here's to you and your temper

I remember what you said last night

I know that you see what you're doing to me

Tell me why, why, tell me why

I take a step back

Let you go

I told you I'm not bulletproof

Now you know

The gang watched in amazement as Lucy and Jackie rocked out with their band. The general conscience was that this band was awesome. Hyde would have to agree. Their covers were really good, and their original songs were even better. They were all still surprised at seeing Jackie pounding out a drum solo like it was nothing. The Heartbreakers played a full set before ending their show. This made everyone sad, but they brightened at the prospect of seeing the band next week.

Jackie and Lucy got off stage and were immediately shanghaied by a slew of people, the gang included. "Jackie, since when do you play drums?" Donna demanded to know. It was so un-Jackie like but still very cool. Then again, Jackie's outfit wasn't very Jackie like either.

"I've been playing for the past seven years," Jackie admitted sheepishly. Technically, her parents had forbidden her to play drums, saying that only dirty skanks were drummers. Jason had taught her just so she could spite them. Of course, Jackie hid her drums at Dexter's for safe-keeping.

"Jackie, why didn't you ever tell me that! It would've made you so much hotter!" Kelso shouted excitedly. Hyde frogged him. "Ow, Hyde! What was that for?"

"Got bored," Hyde replied with his trademark smirk. Jackie smiled at his defensiveness towards her. It gave her hope that he actually had feelings for her.

Suddenly, everyone cleared the way for the manager of the club, someone Jackie was familiar with. "Hey, Blue," Gwen greeted in a monotone voice. "Here's your check." She looked over at Greg. "Who's the new guy in Jason's place?" Jackie's body went rigid at the sound of her brother's name. Lucy saw the look in her best friend's eyes and felt the red flags go up.

The midget managed to mutter, "Thanks for the check", before taking off in the next direction. Lucy gave the confused gang an apologetic smile and went after Jackie. The people around them started to talk in hushed tones, and Hyde caught bits and pieces of it.

"Damn, those two girls are still train wrecks. I mean, seriously, it's been a year. Move on with your lives."

"Hey, what they went through was hard. Cut them some slack. It was all so sudden."

"I still can't believe that happened to them. Poor girls." Hyde tried to piece these things together in his head, but they weren't fitting right. He needed to do some investigating, maybe get some help from Eric and Kelso.

**Hey, I just wanted to say that I don't own Tell Me Why by Taylor Swift, but it is a really awesome song. I thought it made sense in the story, so that's why I used it. If you have any song suggestions for this, I'd love to hear them. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Screwing Up and Being Saved

Jackie sat at the bar, already on her fifth drink. She'd managed to dodge Lucy and was currently trying to drown her sorrow in booze. The thing Jackie was slowly discovering was that the alcohol never really numbed her pain or made it go away; it simply made her not think about it or obsess over it. She needed those drinks. They were the only thing that kept her dwelling on the fact that she was practically the reason Jason was dead. Anyone else would tell you that Jason's motorcycle accident had been completely random and unexpected. Jackie knew better. Her brother was a good driver and would have only gone that face if he was angry about something. Jackie had been the one to make him angry. She blamed him for scaring off a guy she was sleeping with at the time. Jason had gotten angry and started shouting about how she should stop trying to sleep with every guy who looked in her direction. The two siblings had argued, and he had left in a rage, speeding off and getting hit by a car. Looking back, Jackie knew her brother was just looking out for her well-being like he always did. She wished she could back in time and tell herself that.

By the time Lucy found Jackie, the tiny brunette was on her sixth drink. Lucy scowled. She was sick of this. She wanted to fix her friend but had no clue how to even start. "Jackie, put the drink down," Lucy commanded softly. She knew Jackie could easily kill herself this way. And if the drinking binges didn't kill her, the not eating would. Lucy dragged Jackie into a quiet hallway to talk. The girls didn't know that Hyde had followed Lucy and was listening. "Jackie, you can't run to the bar every time someone says his name. It's not healthy." Lucy lectured.

Jackie felt her infamous Burkhart temper flare up. She did the best to stop it, but the strength of the alcohol was too much to resist. "I'm not the only one with fucking problems here, Luce," Jackie sneered. It was a low blow, but she wasn't sober enough to notice that.

"I got help, which you clearly need. You're out of control. I'm scared for you, Blue." Lucy stated sincerely. For the first time, Hyde noticed how broken Jackie really was, and it scared the heck out of him. He wanted to make the midget feel better; Hyde felt his feelings for Jackie increase.

Jackie snorted. "Help? What help did you get? You ran off on a tour of the country without a warning while I was stuck here to fend for myself. And guess what? I've been perfectly fine without you here to baby-sit me." Jackie's voice had edge to it, but also a bitterness. She had been upset when Lucy had left. It only made the sting of losing Jason hurt more. Her brother's death had cost her two people instead of one.

"Trying to starve yourself is fine? Doing shots until you can't see straight is fine?" Lucy challenged. She wanted Jackie to admit that she had a problem. That was always the first step in those cheesy twelve step programs that they used to make fun of when watching tv. Now, the sad truth was that Lucy thought it was the only possibility for Jackie.

Hyde let the information sink in. He slowly put the pieces together. All of Jackie's little tricks were starting to appear in her head. The way she'd refuse a popsicle using the excuse of being too cold, politely declining offers eat with the Formans or at the Hub saying that she had to eat dinner at home. He held back a sarcastic laugh. None of them had realized Jackie had always been going home to an empty house; there were no meals to eat there. Hyde remembered the way Jackie had been drinking the night before and realized something. Jackie drank the way his mom had drank, trying to fill a void in her heart. He wished he could be the thing to fill that void.

"Well, at least I don't need a knife to make myself feel good," Jackie retorted venomously, not realizing what she was saying. "We all have our ways of coping, right Luce?" Jackie's words cut through her best friend like a blade. Lucy looked at Jackie and didn't recognize her. The girl yelling at Lucy wasn't her best friend. It was a complete stranger. Jackie went back to being herself and realized what she just said. "Oh shit. Luce…" By then, the blonde was already walking out of the hallway. Jackie slipped into a hallway and fell to the floor. Sobs shook through her body like they'd been trapped there for years.

Hyde took a step into the hallway. "Jackie?" he called out softly. She looked up, her eyes brimmed with tears. He had never seen the petite cheerleader so distraught; the sight unnerved him. Jackie was, if anything, the group's rock. A perky, loud, and sometimes obnoxious rock. She wasn't supposed to be bawling on the floor of some bar. Just like Hyde wasn't supposed to attempt to comfort her. Yet he was.

"What, Steven? Come to burn me, tell me what a spoiled brat I am? Well, go ahead." Jackie's words were harsh, but her tone wasn't. "I probably deserve it anyways." She let out another small sob, her hands shaking. Jackie had messed up big, and she knew it. She had just hurt the most important person in her life. Jackie knew that she couldn't handle Lucy leaving again the way she had. The tiny brunette didn't know how to handle life without her best friend.

Steven's answer surprised her. "No, I didn't. And no, you don't deserve it. Jackie, what's wrong?" The question surprised her. Jackie couldn't remember the last time anyone had ever asked her that question. Lucy and Dexter always seemed to know without asking, and no one else really cared enough to bother.

Jackie tried to compose herself but just kept sobbing. Hyde sat down in the hallway next to Jackie and put his arm around her. She buried her head in his neck, and he rubbed her back comfortingly. The two were both shocked by how right and natural this felt. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, Jackie lifted her head up and looked at Hyde. At some point, he had slipped off his shades. She could read all his emotions in his eyes, and that alone made her sure she could trust her. "I'm always messing everything up," Jackie confessed, pain her voice. "Everything that's good in my life, I just find a way to screw it up. My relationships, my friendships. Everything I touch turns to crap." She paused for a second. "I just keep pushing the people I care about away, and I don't know how to stop." A tear fell down her face, and Hyde reached out to wipe it away. "And now I'm completely alone."

"That's not true," Hyde stated. This clearly shocked the crying brunette. "Despite what any of us say, we do care about you. You're one of us now, no matter what. We'll take the good, the bad, the everything, but you have to let us." This rare show of emotions from Hyde touched Jackie's heart. For the first time that night, she smiled.

"Thank you," Jackie whispered softly. She turned to the dirty burnout and gave him a sad smile. "Hey Steven?" Jackie asked gently. He looked up at her. "Will you stay with me tonight?" At Hyde's shocked expression, she explained. "After what I said tonight, I doubt Lucy's going to come home, and I hate sleeping in that house alone. I have an extra bed in my room."

Hyde couldn't refuse the tiny brunette's request. "Sure," he answered casually. The two got up and headed back into the club. Jackie made sure that Dexter had packed up his drum and that he was going to leave the key to his house out for Lucy so she'd have a place to stay. She was always thinking of her best friend even when they're fighting, Hyde noticed. They left for Jackie's house.

When they got there, Hyde parked in front of the house. Jackie turned to him. "Watch your step. It's messy." Jackie and Hyde walked up to the front door, and Jackie got her key out. She slid it into the lock and opened the door. They stepped in, and the first thing Hyde noticed was that it didn't look like anyone actually lived there. Sure, it was a beautiful house, but it had no homey touches. There were no family pictures, shoes by the door, or mail on the table. Jackie led him upstairs. It was clear the girls only used the upstairs. Clothes and records were strewn everywhere, pieces of paper cluttered every flat surface. Hyde noticed one room that was completely closed off, a Do Not Enter sign hanging on the door. He didn't have the guts to ask Jackie about that. Jackie was explaining where everything was to him. "Bathroom's down the hall, and don't go into the room on the right." Hyde nodded, and Jackie went to her room to change. He headed to the bathroom and changed into some sweatpants and a wife beater. Jackie changed into a tank top with a pair of record printed flannel pajama pants. She went downstairs to grab some water, and Hyde got a chance to look around the room.

Jackie had tons of pieces of paper everywhere. He picked some up and sorted through them. They were mostly song lyrics, some completed and some not. Hyde also noticed the pictures and posters everywhere. There were posters of bands Hyde liked and some that he hadn't even heard of. Of course, there was the ABBA poster, but surprisingly, it didn't dominate the room. Jackie had better music tastes than they gave her credit for. He looked at the photos closely. There were many of Jackie and Lucy at different ages. There were quite a few of Trent and Dexter. Hyde smiled when he noticed the numerous pictures of the gang. There was only one of Jackie's parents, a forced-looking portrait. Pam's smile looked as fake as her boobs, and Jackie's dad looked downright miserable. One other photo stuck out at him. It was of Lucy, Jackie, and some guy Hyde had never seen before sitting on a table. It was one of those moments you couldn't plan. Lucy was laughing, and the sparkle in Jackie's was brighter than he'd ever seen it. He slipped the picture into his pocket.

Jackie came back, and they went to bed. Hyde could hear Jackie shivering over in her bed, probably because her fragile body couldn't handle the changing seasons. He got up and laid down in Jackie's bed, putting his arms around the girl to keep her warm. To his surprise, Jackie didn't move. Instead, she snuggled into him and contently slept in his arms. Hyde smiled. This was probably one of the best moments of his life. Still, his mind kept wandering back to the photo. Who was that guy in between Jackie and Lucy? Hyde didn't know, but he knew a little detective work would answer that question.


	8. Apologizes and Surprises

**Hey, just wanted to say thanks for your reviews! I really enjoy reading them, and while I may not have the time to reply to every single one, I do take them all into consideration. In this chapter, Hyde will learn a little more about Jackie, and there will be some confessions from Lucy and Jackie. Reviews are always appreciated! Disclaimer: I don't own That '70s Show because, if I did, Jackie and Hyde would be happily married with kids by now. **

Hyde woke up in Jackie's bedroom, not exactly remembering where he was. After looking around, he realized he had slept over Jackie's house. Yet there was no Jackie in sight. Hyde walked downstairs in search of the tiny brunette. On his way down the stairs, he heard guitar playing coming from the living room. Stepping down from the stairs, Hyde spotted Jackie fully dressed sitting on the couch with a guitar on her lap. She looked deep in concentration, scribbling down something on paper. Jackie didn't notice Hyde sit in the chair facing her.

Her writing process was disrupted when Hyde spoke up. "What are you doing?" he asked gently. Jackie looked up, somewhat startled. She had thought he'd sleep for an hour more at least.

"Trying to fix the chorus," Jackie admitted shyly. She hated playing her songs for the people who knew her. Jackie's songs were like her diary, practically a key to her soul. She only sang them to the people she loved to apologize. Jackie was currently in the process of writing her apology to Lucy, but she couldn't quite get it right.

"Why didn't you ever tell us you were in a band?" Hyde questioned casually. The Jackie he though he knew and the Jackie sitting across from her were completely different people.

Jackie contemplated her answer for a moment. That was such a complex question; she didn't even know where to begin. "The Jackie that's is a songwriter and in a band was part of the person I was trying to run away from. I figured that, if you guys didn't know my past, I could get more distance from it." The words felt so odd coming out of her mouth, but it was the truth. Jackie couldn't remember the last time she'd been so honest.

Hyde took in her answer slowly. What was so awful about Jackie's past that she couldn't stop running from it? From what Lucy revealed last night, Jackie had some pretty strong demons. The questions was: How did the demons get there? To coax the information out of her, Hyde decided to change the topic. "Can I hear what you have so far?"

Jackie nodded. She started to play a soft tune on her guitar. Actually, it had been Jason's guitar, one of the few reminders of her brother she could stand to keep around. Jason had loved that guitar like another sibling, and Jackie treated it like a priest treats the Eucharist. Hyde listened closely as she started to sing.

I always thought you were the best I guess I always will.I always felt that we were blessed, And I feel that way, stillSometimes we took the hard road, But we always saw it I had only one friend left, I'd want it to be youSometimes the world was on our side; Sometimes it wasn't fair. Sometimes it gave a helping hand; Sometimes we didn't care'Cause when we were together, It made the dream come true. If I had only one friend left, I'd want it to be youSomeone who understands me, And knows me inside out. And helps keep me together, And believes without a doubt, That I could move a mountain: Someone to tell it to. If I had only one friend left, I'd want it to be you'Cause when we were together, It made the dream come true. If I had only one friend left, I'd want it to be youSomeone who understands me, And knows me inside out. And helps keep me together, And believes without a doubt, That I could move a mountain: Someone to tell it to. If I had only one friend left, I'd want it to be you

Jackie ended the song and waited for Hyde's reaction. She'd be working on the song all morning, hoping that it would be ready by the time Lucy came home. Jackie felt like her best friend deserved to hear how important she was to her. Without Lucy, Jackie suspected she'd be dead right now.

"That was good," Hyde managed to say. Truthfully, he thought it was amazing and a little sad at the same time. The song was good, no doubt, but some of the parts made Hyde wonder. How much had these girls really gone through? Hyde knew that if someone told him a month ago that he'd be feeling sorry for Jackie Burkhart, he would've asked them what they were smoking. Hyde's thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door.

Jackie and Hyde turned around to see Lucy in the outfit she'd been wearing at the club, a tentative smile on her face. Jackie jumped off of the couch and ran to hug her best friend. Lucy returned the tight embrace. Hyde watched the two friends forgive like they always did. Trying to give the girls some privacy, he went into the kitchen where he could still hear the whole conversation.

Jackie looked at Lucy, guilt in her eyes. "Luce, I'm so sorry I said that stuff to you. It was like a demon was possessing. Maybe's Eric right. I might be the spawn of Satan after all." The loud midget forced a laugh. "But seriously, I didn't mean any of that stuff. I know it was hard on you, too, but I was lost when you left. I felt like I couldn't talk to Dexter or Trent, and the two most important people in my life weren't there anymore. I just felt myself get more and more distance, and I didn't know how to change it." Jackie breathed a sigh of relief. That had all been on her chest for too long.

Lucy took all of this in and nodded. "I understand, Blue. And I'm sorry for leaving. He was the love of my life, and I was too wrapped up in my own pain to know that you needed me. I acted like a coward, and I really regret it. I should've stayed and helped you get your life back together," she admitted, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Then why did you stay away so long? And why did you come back now?" Jackie questioned softly. Those two questions had been haunting her ever since Lucy returned. She needed some answers.

"I thought that the longer I stayed away, the lesser the pain would get. I thought that if I didn't come back, the memories would stay away. I wanted to come home, but I didn't think I was strong enough," Lucy answered, her voice cracking.

"But why did you come back now?" Jackie pressed on.

"The answer to your question is simple math, Blue. Look a calendar," Lucy replied blankly. Jackie walked into the study and glanced at the calendar. Suddenly, it hit her. Next week was the year anniversary of Jason's death. Of course Lucy would come home. She was worried about what Jackie would do to herself. "I figured that I couldn't let you go through that alone. Somewhere in Arizona, some common sense finally hit me. I need to stop running," Lucy said after seeing Jackie's face. "And so do you," she added in a whisper that only Jackie could hear. Jackie only nodded before leaving the study.

Hyde took in the conversation he had just heard. Jackie and Lucy had lost someone important, and he guessed it was the guy in that picture. Now all he had to do was figure out who it was. "Hey," he heard Lucy say. "I have an idea. Let's round up the gang and go do something. Something we used to love."

"That sounds good. I'll go tell Steven," Jackie replied cheerfully, walking into the kitchen. Lucy smiled to herself. Jackie was falling in love again. She just hoped this one didn't break her heart. Lucy had to admire Jackie's heart. Despite all the people who have broken her heart, the tiny brunette was still able to love freely. She envied that. Love was hard for Lucy. She could never figure out who to let in.

"Hey, Steven." Hyde turned to see Jackie calm and smiling. He was getting whiplash from how fast she could change her emotions. "Are you up for a surprise?"

"A good surprise or a bad surprise?" Hyde asked suspiciously. He didn't know what the thing the two girls used to love was, and he didn't want to get roped into shopping or something corporate like that.

As if reading Hyde's mind, Jackie answered, "Don't worry. Lucy's surprises are always crazy. Like one time, she told me to back for two days, and then we ended up breaking into a Six Flags and spending the night there." She smiled at the memory. "We'll be ready in an hour."

"Cool. I'll go tell the gang to meet in the basement in an hour." Hyde responded casually. He grabbed his jackets, put on his boots and headed out the door. Hyde was still thinking about the guy. Looking more closely at the photo, he realized that the guy looked familiar. Hyde could've sworn he'd seen him around the school a few times before. Then he remembered something Kelso liked to do. The dumbass would go into the library to check the yearbooks for new prospects. Hyde had a feeling the answer to his question would be in the yearbook. So, as much as it pained him, he was going to have to break **into **the school. Hyde groaned. He would never live this down.

**I don't own One Friend by Dan Seals. I've never even listened to it, but I Googled songs about friendship and found this. The lyrics really spoke to me, so I decided to use it in this chapter. It really summed up Jackie and Lucy's friendship. Next chapter, the gang will learn about an old hobby of Jackie's, and Hyde will learn the truth behind the guy in the photo. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Doing Some Detective Work

**Once again, thanks for your awesome reviews. I really enjoy your feedback, and it usually has an impact on my story. Never be afraid to suggest something to me. I take all request into consideration whether I agree with them or not. BTW, I have changed the years since the accident. In this chapter, Hyde and the guys learn the truth about the guy from the picture, and the gang learns another new thing about Jackie. Hope you guys enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own That '70s Show, unfortunately. It's a shame cuz I think us T70S fan-fic writers could do a much better job on season eight than the real writers did. Hyde marries a stripper? Jackie and Fez? Really?**

Hyde, Kelso, and Eric crept up to the school quietly, trying not to make a sound. Okay, they were somewhat quiet. Kelso kept tripping over stuff, causing him to yelp out in pain. It was only the three of them because Fez had opted out of the spy mission, stating that he would most likely get them caught. The group had agreed, and they set out on the mission. Eric had agreed to help only for three reasons. Reason number 1: Donna was off with Lucy and Jackie, so he had nothing better to do. Eric's only guy friends were really Kelso, Hyde, and Fez. The scrawny geek just never saw a reason to make new friends when he had such good ones already. Reason number 2: He knew it was important to Hyde. Eric would do almost anything for his best friend. He knew Hyde had a thing for Jackie, and so he was going to help the guy. Reason number 3: Eric wanted to help Jackie. Sure, he called her the devil, and she called him a geek, but at the end of the day, they were friends and pretty good ones. He had been getting along with Jackie even better since Lucy had showed up. Lucy brought out another side in Jackie that everyone liked. Kelso was involved with this plan merely so he could wear his ninja suit again.

The guys sneaked over to the side of the school. Hyde wasn't too worried about getting caught considering it was a Sunday. Either way, it was better safe than sorry. Hyde and Kelso boosted Eric up on top of their shoulders. Hyde was at the bottom with Kelso in the middle. Eric used the wrench they had swiped from Red's garage to open the window. He jumped through and opened up the back door for his friends. The guys walked through the dark hallways. It felt strange to see the school this empty. The effect was almost creepy. Hyde barely recognized the place without the constant noise of students gossiping and teachers yelling.

They headed towards the library. Surprisingly, Kelso actually knew where that was. He had a hard time remembering the librarian's name, though, and called her Teacher instead. She returned the favor by calling him Student. Kelso spent most of his time in the library hitting on girls and going through the yearbooks for new prospects. It was a fool-proof way to make sure he didn't forget a girl. It would just be cruel to deprive a girl of Kelso's hotness, or so he thought. In reality, he was probably doing that girl a favor.

Not surprisingly, the library was left unlocked. The three guys slipped in. Hyde and Eric looked over at Kelso. "Where are the yearbooks?" Hyde asked his idiot friend gruffly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd stepped foot in the library. Eric had been in the library a few times each year, but he'd either been doing late homework or reading comic books during that time.

Kelso contemplated this question. He though hard, trying to go through his memory. After blocking out the hot girls, he was able to remember. "Over there!" he shouted proudly. Hyde frogged him. "Damn, Hyde!"

"You're going to get us busted, idiot!" Hyde snarled as he headed over to the shelf Kelso had pointed at. Kelso and Eric followed behind Hyde, keeping a safe distance away from him. Their friend was on the war path, and Eric knew why. It was so obvious that Hyde cared about Jackie. If he didn't, they wouldn't have broken into the library. Personally, Eric thought Hyde and Jackie would make a good couple. Sure, looking from the outside, it seemed impossible. The rebel and the cheerleader. But, knowing the two better than that, Eric knew that it wasn't that unbelievable. Hyde had had a pretty crummy childhood, and from the things Lucy had accidentally told them, he knew Jackie had too. Not to mention the fact they had crazy chemistry. Eric wasn't sure how none of them had noticed it earlier. The way the two argued practically screamed attraction. Of course, the scrawny geek knew Kelso wouldn't be too happy with Hyde dating Jackie, but he knew Kelso would get over it. Kelso loved Jackie but like a little sister, not a girlfriend.

Hyde scanned the years on the yearbooks before he found the two he was looking for: 1975-1976 and 1976-1977. He grabbed them and motioned over to his friends. The three guys sat down at a table, and Eric managed to find a light. Hyde pulled the picture out of his pocket and folded out the creases. He admired the picture. Hyde loved how happy and carefree Jackie looked, like she was at the top of the world. If he could ever make her a fraction of that happy, he would feel like he had accomplished something in his life.

Hyde opened the older yearbook and started to flip through it. The three guys kept their eyes peeled for the guy in the picture. Along the way, they found Lucy's and Jackie's pictures. Jackie looked the part of the naïve princess. Hyde couldn't help but notice a certain shine to her eyes that was now missing. Lucy's picture was totally different than what any of them had expected. The girl looked totally, completely, out-of-her-mind happy. None of them had ever seen anyone that happy. It was only when they flipped the page did they discover the reason for Lucy's happiness.

Hyde looked at the next page, and there was the guy. He didn't look that different from the picture Hyde was holding. Kelso noticed the letter jacket, so they knew he was a football player. The idiot also noted, jealously of course, that he had dark blue eyes and dark brown hair. Hyde looked over at the name and felt his eyes bug out. He stared at the page in shock.

Eric looked over at the name Hyde was staring at. "Jason Burkhart," he read calmly, the impact not setting in. Then he read it again to himself. "Oh crap."

Kelso looked at it himself and pouted. "Since when does Jackie have a brother?" Eric and Hyde gave him a I-can't-believe-how-stupid-you-are look.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, dumbass," Hyde barked.

"But why wouldn't she tell us about him?" Eric questioned. Hyde didn't answer him. He had a theory, but he just needed to confirm it by looking at one thing. "Hand me the next yearbook." Eric wordlessly gave it to him. Hyde opened it and flipped through it before finding the page he assumed would be in there. "That's why," Hyde answered, pointing to the page.

Eric and Kelso looked at it. It said: In Memory of Jason Burkhart: 1959-1977. There were a bunch of pictures of Jason around the page. There was one with the football team, one with Trent and Dexter, and a couple with Jackie and Lucy. "Oh my god," Eric muttered.

Everything was starting to make sense to Hyde. Jackie had been close to her brother and to Lucy. Lucy was dating Jason, and they were all in a band. Jason died, leaving Jackie completely alone. Lucy, unable to deal with her grief, ran off. Jackie tried to reinvent herself as a cheerleader and started to date Kelso, befriending all of them in the meantime. Hyde had to hand it to the tiny brunette. She had done a remarkable job making sure none of them discovered any of this.

Eric looked at the clock. "Guys, we got to go! We're supposed to meet Fez and the girls in five minutes!" Hyde closed the yearbooks and put the picture back in his pocket. He was going to confront Jackie, and he was going to get answers.

Meanwhile, Donna, Jackie, and Fez sat in the car blindfolded. Lucy sat at the wheel, tapping her fingers impatiently. "Luce, is this really necessary?" Jackie whined.

"Yes, since you always try to resist my surprises," Lucy answered with a smirk. Plus, you'd probably try to run if you found out where I was taking you, she added mentally. Lucy was about to bring up a painful part of the past for Jackie, and she knew her friend wouldn't like her for it. Fortunately, Lucy also knew her friend needed closure more than anything else.

"How long do we have to wait?" Donna asked impatiently. It was bad enough being blindfolded, but being blindfolded and not even moving was annoying.

"The guys said they'd meet us here as soon as they were done with their errand," Lucy replied, her tone bored. Finally, she spotted the three guys running up the driveway. "And here they are now!" Lucy got out of the car to greet the guys.

"Sorry we're late!" Eric apologized. "It took longer than we thought."

"It's okay. Just put these blindfolds on and get in the car," Lucy commanded. She held out the blindfolds to the guys.

"Blindfolds?" Hyde asked incredulously. Lucy raised an eyebrow at him.

"Surely the bad-ass rebel isn't afraid of a surprise," she teased, knowing it would get him in the car.

"Fine," Hyde grumbled, getting in the car. "Wait, who's sitting next to me?"

"Jackie," Lucy replied innocently. Hyde obliged and sat down next to Jackie.

Eric and Kelso, both scared of the blonde girl, put their blindfolds on and got in the back. They drove for about twenty minutes until Lucy stopped. "Okay, everyone except Jackie take off your blindfold," she ordered. Everyone except Jackie cheered and tore the cloth off their eyes. The gang looked at their surroundings. There was a small sign that said Joe's Repair and Track.

"What are we doing here?" Donna asked curiously.

"Where are we?" Jackie asked with a pout. Lucy gave the gang a look that silenced them.

"You'll find out soon," she told her friend sweetly, helping the loud midget out of the car. Lucy grabbed Jackie's arm and steered her in the right direction, the gang following them. Finally, she stopped and pulled the blindfold off. "Surprise!" Lucy shouted.

Jackie looked around her in disbelief. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been here. She had been avoiding it for so many reasons. Jason had died on his motorcycle, and he had been on his way to Joe's. Jackie had so many reasons why she should hate this place. Yet, being there didn't make her angry. It made her sad. The place made Jackie remember things she had tried to forget, long summer days spent racing and fixing up bikes with her brother. The happy memories made her want to cry. She turned to her best friend. "Why in the hell would you bring me here, Luce?" Jackie asked, her voice low. It was too painful.

"Because you needed to come here," Lucy replied firmly, looking her friend straight in the eyes. "Look, we used to love coming down here and racing. Or did you forget?"

The last sentence made Jackie angry. "How could I forget? I remember everything, and all of it has replayed every minute of every day for a year." This silenced Lucy. "I relieve all of it every day, and it makes me feel like a rotten person. Knowing it was my fault…" At this part, Lucy interrupted.

"Blue, it wasn't your fault. Those kind of accidents happen all the time," she reassured her friend. Jackie had already started to walk away.

"I'll go talk to her," Hyde said, following Jackie. Lucy turned to the rest of the gang.

"Want to race some bikes?" she offered, trying to change the topic. The gang just nodded, their minds still trying to figure out the mystery that was Jackie Burkhart.


	10. Reliving the Past

**Hey! Super, super, super sorry I haven't updated in a while! The last few weeks of school are always hectic, and I want to end the year with straight As. I get out a week from tomorrow, so I'll be able to update more frequently this month. So, in this chapter, Hyde gets the full story about Jason from Jackie. Hope u guys like it! Reviews are always appreciated. **

Jackie, through her tears, managed to navigate her way to the junkyard part of the track. She liked to come there to clear her head. Something about the solitude of the area was soothing to the pint-sized princess. Jason had introduced her to the spot when they were kids. He had always loved to roam the scraps for anything he could take apart. Jackie's older brother had always believed that you learned more about an object by taking it apart. She didn't share the same mindset, but the place still enchanting to her. It soon became the siblings' spot, the place where they could go to tune out their parents' fighting. And when Jason died, Jackie went there every night, occasionally falling asleep. She would wake up on the couch in Joe's office with a soft blanket covering her. Jackie wiped away her tears. She was sick of crying and sick of her life.

Hyde walked towards Jackie. She looked beautiful yet tragic sitting on a worn-out tire in the middle of a junkyard. Of all the places she could go, he wasn't sure why she picked this particular spot. Being closer to the tiny brunette, Hyde saw tear tracks on her face. Small sobs were still coming out of her mouth, and her whole body was shaking. "Jackie?" Hyde whispered. She didn't respond. He moved closer to her, taking a seat on a broken motorcycle seat. "Jackie?"

"This was our place," the crazy-eyed beauty explained to Hyde, her back still turned to him. "Jason and I used to come here when the fighting got too bad. We'd walk all the way here, and Joe would let us in no matter what time it was. He would take me here, and we'd just sit until it was okay to go home." Hyde stayed silent; he felt like he had no right to say anything at that moment. "When Jason died, I still came here every night. It was the only place I could get any peace at. It's still true." Jackie mumbled that last part, but Hyde still heard it.

"Why didn't you tell us about Jason?" Hyde asked gently. The tiny brunette turned to face him. He couldn't help but be hypnotized by her sad mismatched eyes.

"I thought that if I didn't talk about it, it would hurt less." Jackie gave out a low chuckle. "Turns out it was the opposite."

"Then tell me everything," Hyde challenged, trying to stay zen. He had been kept in the dark long enough.

Jackie studied his face for any signs of mockery or intentions. There were none. The dirty burnout simply wanted her to tell him her story. Had it been anyone else, the loud midget would've refused on the spot. There were some things people like Eric and Donna couldn't understand. Eric wouldn't understand having parents who took care of you whenever it was convenient from them. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Jason raised her. And Donna certainly couldn't understand the two broken little girls who listened when the older boy had promised to always protect them no matter what.

Jackie and Lucy had been seven, and Jason had been eight. They sat on the swing set in Lucy's backyard. They spent all their time at Lucy's house before her dad died and her mom went crazy. Jackie had been sitting on the pink swing, pumping herself up higher into the air. Lucy was on the swing next to her doing the same time. Jason was sitting up on top of the slide, watching the sun go down. Suddenly, Jackie proclaimed, "I want a Prince Charming!" Her blonde-haired friend nodded in agreement.

Jason made a face. "What's so great about a Prince Charming?" His little sister and the girl he considered another sister both gave him a look of disbelief.

"Having a Prince Charming is the best thing that could ever happen to you!" Jackie exclaimed. "He'll be handsome, charming, wealthy, smart, kind…"

"And he'll save you from high towers, dragons, and evil stepmothers," Lucy added with a wistful smile.

"But why would you need a Prince Charming when I could do that stuff for you?" Jason pointed out. "I'll always take care of you two no matter what." And, until the day he died, Jason kept the promise he made on the play ground.

And so Jackie started to tell Hyde her story because she was sure he would be one of the few people who would understand it. And he did. He scowled when she talked about her floozy mother, absent father, and endless string of nannies that had raised her and Jason and smiled at her memories of growing up with her brother and Lucy. He laughed when Jackie told him how she came to play the drums and be in a band with Jason, Dexter, Trent, and Lucy. He was pissed off when she told him about Andy and Pam Macy and all those other guys she had slept with while trying to feel something. He was worried when she told him about her anorexia and binge drinking, and he rubbed her back when she started crying while telling about the day Jason died and the argument they had had that day. He looked shocked as Jackie told him about Lucy's departure and her sudden reinvention of herself.

Jackie looked up at Hyde after she had finished talking, looking for something to indict what he thought. Did he think she was a nut case? A screw-up? But, to Jackie's surprise, as soon as her mismatched eyes met his baby blue ones, Hyde leaned in and kissed her. It was a hungry kiss, a passionate kiss. Though she was surprised, Jackie didn't pull away. They kept making out. After about ten minutes, Hyde pulled away. "Will you come somewhere with me?" he pleaded.

"Yes," Jackie answered, letting him pull her up and walk her towards the exit. She had no clue where Hyde was taking her, but she had a feeling it was going to be an interesting night.


	11. Take A Chance On Me

**Hey! Sorry I've been MIA. I would've updated this morning, but I was in the ER for a bladder infection. Not fun. Anyway, this story probably only has a couple more chapters left to it. I'll try to post them as soon as I can. In this chapter, Jackie and Hyde visit a place familiar to us fans, and feelings are brought to light. I hope u guys enjoy it! Disclaimer: I do not own That '70s Show, but I do love to complain how they ruined the eighth season. **

Jackie sat in silence as Hyde drove the El Camino. She had no clue where they were going, but that didn't matter to her. The tiny brunette trusted Hyde, and that was saying a lot. Jackie didn't trust a lot of people in general. Everything in her life at that point had taught her that all people do is lie to you anyway. Her parent said they cared about her, all those guys she'd been with said they loved her, Jason said he'd always protect her, and Lucy said nothing could tear them apart. Everything was lies. The spoiled princess wearing rose-colored glasses that the gang thought she was didn't exist.

Hyde watched the girl who'd managed to capture his heart carefully. Her mismatched eyes looked thoughtful, and she seemed to be in another world. Something inside Hyde broke when he realized how much he had just assumed about Jackie. To be fair, the girl was a really good actress. Sure, signs that something was up were there, but for the most part he wouldn't have taken Jackie for anything but innocent and clueless. Hyde laughed. She had been using Zen long before he taught it to her.

Finally, Jackie spoke up. "Steven, where are we?" she asked, looking around in bewilderment.

Hyde didn't turn to look at her. "You and your brother went to a salvage yard to escape. I came here," he explained. Jackie's eyes softened. They really weren't that different. Hyde got out of the car, and in a gentlemanly non-Hyde way, opened her door. Jackie smiled that smile that gave Hyde goose bumps.

"Thank you, Steven," she said softly. Hyde only nodded. He held out his hand, and she took it. They sat on top of the car and looked up at the sky. It was getting late, and the sun was just starting to set. The colors all seemed to blend together perfectly in the sky, and Jackie couldn't help but think this was the perfect setting for something to happen.

"Steven?" Hyde turned to look at Jackie. Her eyes looked sad, and she had a small frown on that he wanted to kiss away. "Do you ever miss them?"

Jackie didn't have to explain who them was. Hyde knew exactly what she meant. And the answer was yes, he had missed his dad and then his mom when they had first left. But he also knew that Bud and Edna had done him a huge favor by abandoning him. The Formans were his family now, and they were a huge improvement from those two idiots. Hyde chose his words carefully. "It gets better, you know. It hurts for a little while, and then one day you barely even notice it."

"I miss them sometimes," Jackie confessed. "Or, at least I miss the idea of them. Sure, my mom is a whore and my dad's too busy with business, but having them home made me feel safe." She paused for a moment. "I miss Jason most of all, which I guess makes sense."

"Jackie…" Hyde started, but Jackie wouldn't let him finish.

"No, Steven, I need to say this," Jackie protested. "Jason was the only family I had that mattered, and when he died, I felt like my world had fallen apart. I blamed myself, and I felt like I needed to punish myself."

"So the eating thing..." Hyde trailed off. Jackie shook her head.

"I've been like that since I was thirteen, but it got a lot worse after Jason died. He was the only person who could get to me when I was at my lowest. After his funeral, I drank and starved myself into the hospital. It scared the crap out of Lucy," Jackie explained shakily.

"And how are you now?" Hyde prodded carefully. He still felt like Jackie was too thin, but they could deal with each issue one at a time.

Jackie seemed to consider the question. "I don't know," she confessed. "I've felt a lot better since I've started hanging out with you guys, but all those feelings are still there. I just hear all these voices in my head saying 'You're fat' or 'you're ugly' or 'nobody will love you', and they never shut up.

Hyde shook his head. "None of those things are true, Jackie. You're beautiful, smart and talented. Those voices are wrong," he reassured her.

Jackie studied Hyde's face carefully. Something was there that wasn't there before. Before even thinking about it, she asked, "Steven, do you care about me?"

Hyde just looked at her. "Jackie, I love you," he stated calmly. Suddenly, Jackie was leaning in to kiss him once again. The second kiss was just as great as the first one. She didn't want it to end. Unfortunately, her fear decided to kick in right then. She pulled away from Hyde.

"We can't do this," Jackie insisted, getting down from the hood of the El Camino. Fortunately, Hyde wasn't about to let her blow him off. He got off the car and grabbed her wrist, looking into her mismatched eyes.

"Why not?" Hyde demanded harshly.

"You won't understand," she replied.

"Try me," Hyde challenged.

"It won't work. We won't work," she stressed.

Hyde saw right through her excuse. "Jackie, what are you so afraid of?" he whispered.

"I don't want to get hurt again. I won't be able to put myself together again," Jackie sobbed.

"I promise I'll never hurt you," Hyde replied so sincerely that Jackie had to make sure it was him. She looked into his shadeless blue eyes and saw that he really did mean it.

"Okay," Jackie said with a small smile. Hyde pulled her closer and kissed her in the cheek. They got into the El Camino and "celebrated" their new relationship. Jackie knew it would be hard, but she was willing to take that risk. The loud midget didn't want to spend one more minute alone.


	12. Lucy's Slip

** Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for all the reviews and being so patient! *smiles* In this chapter, Jackie and Hyde are finally a couple, and Lucy's feeling more alone than ever. What will she do, and how will Jackie handle it? Read it find out! Disclaimer: Don't own That '70s Show. Wish I did.**

It had been a couple weeks since Jackie and Hyde had gotten together, and everything was good. No one officially stated that they were a couple, but the gang knew. Even Kelso could tell. They always sat near each other, Jackie on Hyde's lap or next to him on the old, ratty couch. Eric was shocked and outraged by the coupling, but Donna wasn't surprised. She had noticed all the looks and moments that had occurred between the two. And after learning more about Jackie from Lucy, she had decided Jackie and Hyde would be good together. Similar experiences and childhoods gave them something essential in common. Donna considered mentioning this to Eric while he was yelling about how his best friend was dating the devil but decided against it. She knew he didn't really mean the things he said about Jackie; it was just a habit to him.

Even Kelso and Fez noticed the new relationship. Surprisingly, both were okay with it. Fez may have been Jackie's loving admirer, but he was also her friend. The foreigner wanted his goddess to be happy. Plus, it filled his needs watching Hyde and Jackie make out. Kelso had similar feelings. Jackie had been his first real girlfriend, and he would always care about her, but the dofus knew they weren't meant to be. He wanted the tiny brunette to be happy, and if Hyde didn't make her happy, Kelso would have to beat him up. Or least try to. The only person not completely okay with the relationship was Lucy.

Lucy didn't know why she was so reluctant to believe in Jackie's new relationship. Hyde seemed different than all the other guys Jackie had been with, but a part of Lucy still felt like something was up. She knew he had commitment issues, and that would be hard for Jackie to deal with. Mainly, Lucy disapproved of Hyde mainly because she thought Jason would react the same way. Jackie was starting to forget the past while she was stuck in it. The loud midget was the only friend she really had. No one else mattered. And now it felt like she wasn't even a priority anymore.

Lucy's disapproval created a riff between the two girls. Jackie couldn't understand Lucy's side, and Lucy was too confused to justify herself. As a result, the two girls grew apart. They only saw each other at band practice and in passing at the Burkhart residence. Lucy relied on her little cutting ritual while Jackie obsessed over the scale. The best friends were lost without one another.

Even the gang noticed the fight. Lucy stopped coming around to the basement, and Jackie seemed unhappy. Hyde noticed that she also seemed too frail. No one wanted to approach Jackie or Lucy about their issues though. Luckily, the anniversary of Jason's death changed everything.

Jackie had spent the whole day trying not to think about her brother. She had gotten up, avoided Lucy, got ready for school, attended her classes, and hung out with the gang afterwards, but something compelled her to go to his grave. Truthfully, Jackie didn't believe that was where her brother rested. When she thought of where Jason was now, she pictured him at Joe's fixing up his bike and racing all night. Still, there was something comforting about visiting a grave, something she couldn't explain. Jackie slowly walked towards her brother's headstone. It read: Jason Burkhart: Beloved Son, Brother, and Friend. Now belongs to a different race. It had been Lucy's idea to add that last part. She said they needed to represent who he had been to the rest of the world. Jackie had been so out of it that she agreed.

"Hey, Jay," she greeted shakily, sitting down on the grass in front of the headstone. "I miss you. Of course, I miss you every day, but today was the day you died, so I wanted to come and see you." Jackie choked back tears. "I'm so sorry for not being a better little sister, a better person. I wish I could take back that fight. I miss you looking out for me. For us."

"We're a mess without you, Jay," Jackie continued, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "Lucy won't admit it but I know she's cutting herself, and I'm not eating and everything's a wreck. We're barely even talking these days. God, I miss you. We need you." And then Jackie just let herself cry for the first time in a year. She cried for her brother and her parents and Lucy and herself. She cried for all the mistakes she had made and all the things she wished she had done and all the things she wished she could take back. And once she finished crying, Jackie stood up and shook the dust off her skirt. "Love you, big brother," she whispered softly. "See you next year." Jackie walked away from the headstone feeling better than she had in ages.

Meanwhile, Lucy was in the bathroom, holding her favorite razor to her wrists. She was cutting deeper than usual today. The usual cut did nothing to ease her pain. The blonde badass cut just a little deeper than usual and sighed as she saw a stream of red come out her arm. Lucy stumbled. She was starting to feel a little dizzy. Sinking down to the floor, she tried to grab something to balance herself with. The singer could make out a voice calling to her. It was Jackie. "Jackie?" Lucy croaked.

"Lucy, what did you do?" Jackie asked worriedly.

"Felt numb again…" Lucy trailed off. She could feel herself being lifted up off the floor. "Sorry." She felt something soft being wrapped around her wrists.

"It's okay, Luce. We're going to the hospital, okay?" Jackie reassured her friend. She knew she had to move fast. Jackie supported Lucy and got her down the stairs.

"Okay," Lucy nodded weakly. "Love you, Blue."

"Love you too, Lucy," Jackie replied softly, now getting her friend into the car. She closed the door and hopped into the driver seat, pressing down on the gas. Jackie didn't care if she was going to get a speeding ticket. Her best friend was going to live.


	13. I Will If You Will

**Hey! Thanks for the reviews! Love ya! *round of applause for reviewers* This is going to be the last chapter and then there's the epilogue. In this chapter, Lucy's in the hospital and old memories are stirred up from Jackie. How will she get through them? Read to find out! Disclaimer: I don't own That '70s Show. I don't own the seasons. I'm just a humble, over-caffeinated writer. **

Jackie felt like her heart was pounding out of her chest. Lucy had been taken to get stiches, and she was sitting in the waiting room anxiously. Bad memories loomed in this waiting room. She and Lucy had sat there in complete and total fear. The doctor wouldn't tell them about Jason's condition until a parent or guardian arrived, and there was no use in telling him that their parents were out of town and didn't really give a crap anyway. She had clutched Lucy's hand so hard that she was surprised that the blonde girl's hand didn't lose circulation. Lucy didn't mind though. She just rubbed Jackie's back and told her Jason was going to be fine. Of course, she had been wrong. Jason had been dead.

She was snapped out of her dark memories by hearing someone call out her name. The tiny brunette turned around to see Dexter and Trent standing there nervously. Jackie couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. She could tell they had been practicing by the messiness of Trent's usually well-kept hair and the sweat on Dexter's face. Even when they didn't have practice, the two were still rocking out. Jackie knew they had sensed the tension at band practice, and Dexter had approached her about it more than once. "Dex…' she started, her voice shaky. Dexter just pulled her in for a hug and said nothing. Jackie started to cry. Trent stood close by and started to make really corny jokes.

Once Jackie stopped crying, the three of them sat down in the waiting room. After a few minutes of silence, Trent spoke up. "Anyone else feeling déjà vu?" he asked. Dexter gave him a look, but Jackie only gave a weak smile.

"You could definitely say that," she agreed. A doctor appeared in front of them.

"Are you the family of Lucy Ring?" he asked in a pompous tone that made Jackie want to claw at his face.

"Yes," she immediately spoke up. "We are." The doctor then started to explain what they had done to Lucy and handed her medical forms to fill out. The three of them sat there while Jackie filled out all the forms. A few minutes later, Jackie heard yet another person call out her name. The loud midget turned around to see the entire gang standing in front of her. She ran into the arms of her boyfriend, giving him a quick kiss before stepping back. "How did you…" Jackie asked but trailed off after seeing the sheepish grin on Trent's face.

"I figured they needed to know," he replied with a shrug.

"Thanks, Trent," she replied softly, reaching up to mess up his already messy hair.

"No problem, Blue," he answered, batting her hand away from his precious hair. Jackie rolled her eyes.

"What happened?" Donna asked worriedly, taking the conversation to a more serious place. Trent and Dexter just looked down at their shoes nervously while Jackie's eyes went dark. She took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I found her in the bathroom with blood everywhere. She was cutting again," the pint-sized princess whispered just loud enough for them to her. She still couldn't believe she hadn't seen the signs. She wiped away a stray tear on her cheek.

"Blue…" Dexter started, but he didn't get a chance to finish what he was going to say. The doctor had come back. They all looked at him anxiously.

"How is she?" Trent dared to ask. Hospitals weren't a good place for them.

"We have her in stable condition, and I have a list of psychiatric facilities for you to look at," the doctor stated in a monotone.

Jackie couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Excuse me?" she demanded with an angry frown. Dexter and Trent both took a step back. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Your friend is mentally ill. She needs the right anti-depressant regime and a psychiatrist," the doctor explained as if he was speaking to a child. Jackie felt her face go red.

"I know what psychiatric facilities are. I just don't think Lucy needs one," Jackie replied coolly.

"According to her charts, mental illness runs in her family," the doctor replied, glancing down at her charts.

"Yeah, that's usually happens when you drown yourself in alcohol and painkillers," she shot back. "Lucy doesn't have that problem."

"Well, only her medical proxy has the right to make those kind of decisions for her," the doctor said smugly.

Jackie smirked. "You're looking at her," she stated.

"What about her parents?" the doctor asked, trying to find a way around this girl.

"Her father's dead, and her mother is in one of those facilities you seem so fond of," the spoiled princess answered with a bite of sarcasm.

Before the doctor could even say anything else, Dexter cut in. "We'd like to see our friend now please." The doctor nodded and stepped aside.

Everyone walked to Lucy's room. Once they got to the door, all eyes were on Jackie. "I'll go in first," she said softly, opening the door and stepping inside.

The sight of her friend in a hospital bed made her want to cry. Jackie didn't know how things had gotten so screwed up. Lucy was lying in a hospital gown with bandages around her wrists. Her skin seemed paler than usual, and it was odd to see her without that signature smirk on her lips. Jackie walked closer to the bed and stroked her friend's cheek gently. Lucy opened her eyes.

"Blue," she whispered softly. Jackie looked at her friend.

"Luce," she said back, a small grin on her face. There was a moment of silence between the two girls. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," the blonde girl reassured her. Jackie shook her head.

"I was a bad friend, and I know that now. You need to talk to me from now on. I don't want to be scared like that again," Jackie replied, her voice strained. Lucy nodded.

"Are you going to lock me up in one of those places?" she asked worriedly. Lucy was afraid of turning into her mother. The woman was out of her mind and had been for years. She didn't want that kind of life for herself.

"No," Jackie answered firmly, playing with her friend's long hair. "But you have to promise to never scare me like that again."

"I promise," Lucy swore. The two best friends sat together in silence for a little while. An idea occurred to Jackie. She turned to her best friend, the girl who was almost like her sister.

"Luce, I'm going to make you a promise. I'll get better if you do. We'll do this together. I'll eat full, regular sized meals, and you'll stop with cutting. We'll do this together." Jackie's words were sincere, and they touched Lucy right to the core. Jackie was willing to deal with her own issues if she did the same.

"Okay," Lucy agreed.

"Love you, Luce," Jackie said with a smile.

"Love you too, Blue," Lucy replied softly. She didn't know how her life was going to turn out at this point, but she did know she wouldn't be alone anymore.


	14. Perfect

**Hey! I just wanted to say thanks for all your reviews during the course of this story! Special shout out to a few regular reviewers of mine: ****Vaneesa85, Ace5492, Jeremy Shane, cravingsmiles, and jwoo2525. You guys are all awesome reviewers not to mention. Whether it be a long paragraph with input and advice about the next chapter to a one-word encouragement, you guys always support me. Love ya! *leftover Thanksgiving pie all around* Here's the epilogue. Hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own That '70s Show or the song Perfect by Pink. This sufficiently proving that my 11-11-11 at 11:11 wish didn't come true. Drat!**

Three months later…

Hyde, Donna, Eric, Kelso, and Fez were sitting in Club Skunk on a Friday night, beers in everybody's hands. The place was packed. There were hot girls in tight clothes everywhere much to Kelso and Fez's pleasure. Eric got swatted by Donna after ogling a girl walking by. Hyde's eyes, however, were glued to the tiny brunette doing sound check, the one that just happened to be his girlfriend. He caught her gaze and smirked. Jackie simply rolled her eyes in response before rushing off to join the rest of her band backstage. Hyde would never admit it, but his girlfriend looked smoking hot. Jackie was wearing a one-shouldered red top with her band's logo on it with a short, tight black skirt and slim black boots. Her makeup was done rockerish with heaver eyeliner and bright red lips. Hyde would've jumped her right then and there if he could've. The thing most attractive to him about Jackie that night, however, was her smile. Jackie's smile seemed to light up the whole club. The gang had been seeing a lot more of that smile since both Jackie and Lucy had started to heal.

It had started out a slow process. Both girls were so set in their ways that it was hard to stop. They recovered little by little. Jackie started off eating tiny meals and slowly made her way to better sized meals. Lucy didn't cut for a week, and then that week was turned into a month. Neither of them was healed completely in any sense, but they were on their way. The scars on Lucy's wrists were healing, and Jackie's body seemed to look healthier. Everyone was willing to do their part. Donna and Mrs. Forman acted as mother hens, making sure each girl was taking care of themselves. Eric kept things normal by treating both girls exactly like he did before, an act thoroughly appreciated. Fez and Kelso, on the other hand, kept everyone laughing when there were bad days. And Hyde? Well, he loved Jackie Burkhart. Enough said.

Lucy and Jackie's major source of music, however, was music. Jackie and Lucy started writing songs like crazy. Both were constantly at band practice. The best friends found peace in their music, and their band mates were more than willing to help. Not to mention that the new music they were writing was really good.

Which was why the gang was at Club Skunk in the first place. The Heartbreakers were being scoped out by some record labels, and Jackie wanted everyone to be there for this gig. No one had any idea what the loud midget had up her sleeve, but they showed up all the same.

Hyde was snapped out of thoughts by Fez's excited cries. "They're starting!' he exclaimed. Hyde turned around to see the band taking the stage. Surprisingly, Jackie didn't go directly to the drummer's seat. She went to the front of the stage and picked up the microphone.

"Jackie's going to sing?" Donna asked in shock. Hyde only shrugged nonchalantly. None of them had ever seen Jackie sing at one of the band's performances. The foreigner shushed them as Jackie began to talk.

"Hi, I'm Jackie, but my band mates call me Blue. We're the Heartbreakers, and this first treat is a little treat for you. I wrote it myself about a lot of things in my life, so I hope you enjoy." Jackie looked back at Lucy, who winked. Dexter, Trent, and Greg started to play their guitars. Lucy followed on the drums as Jackie began to sing.

Made a wrong turn

once or twice.

Dug my way out, blood and fire.

Bad decisions, that's alright.

Welcome to my silly life.

Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood

Miss "No way, it's all good", it didn't slow me down

Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated!

Look, I'm still around...

Pretty pretty please!

Don't you ever ever feel

Like you're less than, less than perfect

Pretty pretty please

If you ever ever feel like you're nothing you are perfect to me.

You're so mean (Your so mean)

When you talk (When you talk) about yourself, you were wrong

Change the voices (Change the voices) in your head (In the head)

Make them like you instead

So complicated, look how happy you'll make it

Filled with so much hatred... such a tired game

It's enough! I've done all I can think of

Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same.

Oh, pretty pretty please

Don't you ever ever feel

Like you're less than, less than perfect

Pretty pretty please

If you ever ever feel like you're nothing you are perfect to me

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear

The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer

So cool in line, and we try try try,

But we try too hard and it's a waste of my time

Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere

They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair

Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time

Why do we do that? Why do I do that?

Why do I do that?

Yeah, oh, oh baby, pretty please!

Pretty pretty please,

Don't you ever ever feel

Don't you ever ever feel

Like you're less than, less than perfect

Pretty pretty please

If you ever ever feel like you're nothing you are perfect to me

Yeaaahhh...

You are perfect, you're perfect

Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing

You are perfect to me.

Jackie finished her song with passion. Everyone in the club clapped furiously. The band did a whole set before taking a break. She went straight to Hyde and the gang. He kissed her so hard and so hungrily that she could barely register Dexter's voice talking about one of the agents who wanted a meeting with them. Yep, things were definitely perfect for Jackie Burkhart. And for once, they were going to stay that way.


End file.
